Tifereth Israel

05/29/2026

In April of 2018, when Sharon and I came for our weekend visit to Columbus as part of the rabbinic interview process, perhaps our most important stop outside of Congregation Tifereth Israel was the Columbus Jewish Day School. I vividly remember walking in the doors and being greeted by the then Head of School, Rabbi Dr. Tali Zelkowicz, who looked at us and said: “I don’t know which of you to hug first.” By the time we finished our tour, not only were we in love with the school, but Sharon had also been offered a job teaching there. The rest, as they say, is history - I was offered the job at Tifereth, Sharon took the job at CJDS, and taught second-grade Judaica that first year here. Since our first days here in Columbus, we have always had at least one child enrolled in the school, and the CJDS community has hugged and embraced us in exactly the same way that Tali did when we first walked in the doors.

Somehow, eight years have flown by, and this past Wednesday evening, Hadar and her fellow 5th graders officially became graduates of CJDS. During the beautiful and moving graduation ceremony, each student spoke of their experience and what the school has meant to them. One of Hadar’s classmates, Seth Berman (if the name sounds familiar to the Tifereth family, it should :) ), calculated the number of hours his family spent driving him to and from school and then from school to work and back to pickup. I believe the tally was around 90 days' worth of driving to get Seth to school each day over the past years. Seth reflected that there must be something really amazing about this school to have spent all that time getting him there and back.

He could not be more correct. Each of our children was nurtured, cared for, taught to their ability, and loved every single day they walked through the doors of CJDS, a fact I know to be true of every student in the school, past and present. Dafna, Liav, and Hadar are the people they are today in large part because of the faculty and staff who helped us raise them.

Yesterday morning, we did our last bus stop drop-off, attended the Kadima/moving-up ceremony, and our youngest daughter officially became a middle schooler. And just like that, we find ourselves the proud parents of three CJDS alumni, but no current CJDS students. Of course, we will still be involved in the school; it continues to be my honor to serve on the Board of Trustees, and as a rabbi, it brings me great joy to see members of our congregation enroll their own children in the school. But at this time of year, filled with transitions of all kinds, this one holds special meaning and emotion for our family. Sharon and I can never properly express the thanks and gratitude we feel. Mazal tov to the graduating 5th graders of the Columbus Jewish Day School and to all the students and families celebrating graduations this year, be it pre-K, 5th grade, 8th grade (shout out to Liav and his fellow 8th graders), high school, and all the way through college and graduate school. We are proud of all of you!

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Hillel Skolnik

05/26/2026

It's your last chance to register for A Weekend of Bracha and Todah honoring Rabbi Alex Braver!

Registration closes TONIGHT! Grab your tickets at bit.ly/RABBI-ALEX!

05/21/2026

As we approach Shavuot - the festival of receiving the Torah - I find myself filled with a sense of deep gratitude and quiet awe. Shavuot reminds us that the gift of Torah was not given to any single individual, but to an entire community gathered together at the foot of the mountain. It is in that same spirit of communal purpose and shared responsibility that I humbly step into this role as your president. I do not take lightly the trust you have placed in me, and I am genuinely moved to serve this congregation that has meant so much to so many of us.

Before I say anything about the road ahead, I want to pause and offer my heartfelt thanks to our outgoing president, Lee Rosenthal. He shepherded our community through challenges and celebrations alike with grace and commitment, and the foundation he built is one I am honored to stand on. Lee, on behalf of all of us, thank you! Your service is a blessing to this community, and your legacy will continue to shape who we are.

As I look toward the year ahead, I am guided by three priorities that I believe are central to our vitality and growth. First and foremost is inspiring tefillah - meaningful, accessible prayer and learning that connects each of us to something greater than ourselves and to one another. I want our sanctuary to feel like a place where every voice matters, where newcomers feel welcome, and longtime members feel at home. Second, I am committed to ensuring the continued financial health of our congregation so that we can sustain and expand the programs and sacred work that make this community so special. Responsible stewardship of our resources is an act of love for future generations. And third, membership engagement, which is at the heart of everything: building relationships, welcoming new families, and making sure everyone knows they are an important part of making Tifereth Israel the warm, vibrant congregation it is.

Just as the Jewish people stood at Sinai together - not as isolated individuals but as one people with one heart - I believe our strength lies in our togetherness. I have no illusions that the work ahead is simple, and I know I will make mistakes. But I also know that with your input, your wisdom, and your partnership, we will find our way. I am already inspired by the conversations I've been having, the ideas being shared, and the deep reservoir of goodwill that exists in our community.

With gratitude to those who came before and hope for where we are going, I am so honored and excited to begin this journey together. On behalf of all of our board officers, First Vice President Jamie Goldson, Second Vice President Amy Tannenbaum, Treasurer Stephen Waterman, and Secretary Eric Po***ck, chag sameach, and may this Shavuot bring renewed meaning and connection to all of our lives.

Shabbat Shalom,
Jess Reback

05/15/2026

Acharon acharon chaviv — the very last is the most beloved.

That’s been the theme accompanying me for the past few weeks. On Wednesday, I taught my last lunch-and-learn to a group of dedicated participants, enjoying convoluted Jewish mysticism and tuna sandwiches. On Tuesday night, I gave one of the invocations at my last Nehemiah Action, speaking about what the last decade of witnessing BREAD’s pursuit of justice has meant to me. Two Sundays ago was my last Boker Or tefilah, singing, dancing, praying, and playing guitar with our enthusiastic students. This is not my last Thought Before Shabbat … but my second-to-last!

Endings are hard.

I spoke this past Yom Kippur about how rabbis and pastors are trained for “goodbyes” in a pastoral care settings, including an anecdote from a chaplain educator who described working with future-chaplains and -clergy for months and months on this topic, only to see them fail to properly say goodbye to one another when class ended — including being absent without an excuse for the final meeting, sneaking out without saying anything, picking fights at or near the end, or just simply offering generalizations without actually engaging with the personal relationships they’d built. A real goodbye engages with all the feelings that arise — positive and negative. It is a process, not a moment.

Still, a goodbye isn’t necessarily a final and complete ending. Even when we lose a loved one, they live in us and around us in ways that can be incredibly vivid, if not as tangible and fulfilling as we yearn for. Every Hebrew school student can tell you that shalom means both “goodbye” and “hello,” and more advanced students of Jewish thought can tell you about the theory of Jewish time as a spiral rather than a line or a circle — a cycle that repeats and circles back on itself while also moving forward. We count the 49 days of the omer each year toward Shavuot, and then the count ends — and though this same seven-week cycle and festival will never return, the counting and the holiday will indeed return next year. Each year we journey through the Days of Awe, turn and return in teshuvah, celebrate our forgiveness and our transformation … and then get ready to do it again in a year’s time. Whenever I put away the Pesach dishes each spring, a part of me is anticipating the next time they’ll come up from the basement.

Part of a proper goodbye — of encountering that “acharon acharon," very last moment — is finding a way to accept the finality of the moment … while at the same time recognizing that some of what is most “chaviv,” beloved, will remain with us. These past few weeks — rather than absenting myself without excuse, picking fights, or offering generalizations — I’ve tried my best to engage in this spiritual work with many of you; and I’ve been so moved to see how you’ve shared both your joy and sadness with me. It’s one of the many, many things I’m deeply grateful for in my decade at Tifereth — and one of the many, many things I’ll be taking with me.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Alex Braver

05/12/2026

Perek Yomi - End of Deuteronomy

05/08/2026

Mazal Tov to parents Julie Tilson Stanley and Matt Stanley, brothers Jack and Saul Stanley, and grandparents Bethanne and Jeff Tilson and Lisa and Steve (z"I) Stanley on the Bar Mitzvah of
Charlie Tilson Stanley this Shabbat!!

05/08/2026

05/05/2026

Due to forecasted rain, the Lag BaOmer cookout and evening minyan will take place at Tifereth Israel!

05/01/2026

I have always been taken by the fact that the term we use in Hebrew for “synagogue” is Beit Knesset, which means “House of Gathering” in English. One might have thought, even quite logically, that it would mean “House of Prayer” or be related to the idea of connecting with God. Instead, the emphasis is on a place where we come together as people. It is a reminder that our prayers are far more powerful when they are expressed with others. While we certainly can pray on our own, it is only with a minyan that we can recite the entire service, because voices that chant together expand their reach and impact. We, as humans, are meant to be in community with others, and only together do we reach our full potential.

That same concept always comes to mind in the days leading up to the annual BREAD Nehemiah Action. It is at this gathering that we, communities of multiple faiths, come together and use the power of collective presence to call for positive change. As people of faith, we present our leaders with proven solutions for issues that genuinely exist here in central Ohio. We push to protect the health of Columbus citizens, to ensure safe housing for all renters, to create pathways to better-paying careers, to protect trees and expand the tree canopy, and so much more. Our collective voices have this power, but that power multiplies when our numbers grow and an expanding collection of people participate and gather to speak as one.

What we ask of you is that you give of your time and share your presence on Tuesday evening, May 12, from 6:40 pm - 8:30 pm. Come and sit together with your friends from Tifereth Israel and fellow faith communities at the Celeste Center on the Ohio State Fairgrounds, and be a witness to the impact we have together.

We have entry tickets (at no cost) available at the synagogue, and you can also reply to this email to receive one. There is no charge for parking at the fairground, and if you would prefer not to drive, you can register by email to take the B.E.A.T. Bus from the Tifereth parking lot, departing at 6:05 pm and returning to Tifereth from the Celeste Center after the conclusion of the program. The bus is also offered as a complimentary service, but we ask that you register for the bus by May 8.

Our community has long known the power of gathering together. It is from the presence of others that we draw strength in times of hardship and feel our happiness intensify in times of joy. We also know the influence of standing together as an interfaith community with the common goal of being a rodef tzedek, a pursuer of justice. I hope you will join me, your fellow congregants, along with many, many others, at this year’s BREAD Nehemiah Action. Together, we can make it into a sacred house of gathering that brings positive change for the people who need it most.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Hillel Skolnik

04/28/2026

Perek Yomi - Deuteronomy 26 and onward

04/24/2026

This week’s Torah portion is Aharei Mot–Kedoshim, a double parasha filled with both meaningful and challenging teachings. As I read through Parashat Kedoshim, I noticed many halachot—laws that we were taught earlier in the Torah.

One verse in this parasha has always stayed with me: “You shall not insult the deaf, or place a stumbling block before the blind. You shall fear your God: I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 19:14)

At first glance, the message seems straightforward: be kind. But is it really that simple? Maybe. Does it go deeper than that? Probably.

The Torah is not only telling us not to harm others physically or verbally; it is warning us against taking advantage of someone else’s vulnerability. A deaf person may not hear an insult. A blind person may not see the obstacle in front of them. These are actions someone might think they can “get away with.” That’s why the verse ends with “You shall fear your God”—a reminder that even when others don’t see something, God does.

In our daily lives, we may not literally place obstacles in front of people, but we can still create “stumbling blocks” in more subtle ways without even realizing it. We might judge someone without understanding their situation, ignore someone who needs help, or make life harder for someone who is already struggling.

At the same time, the opposite is just as powerful. Small acts of kindness can remove obstacles rather than create them. In our busy lives, it is easy to overlook these moments—but they matter. I think they matter a lot. Smiling at a stranger, saying thank you, holding the door, or even buying someone a coffee at Starbucks—these simple acts of kindness can truly make a difference in someone’s day.

We never know what another person is going through. When we choose kindness, we’re not just being polite—we’re actively living out the values this verse teaches. We’re choosing not to add to someone’s burden, but to lighten it.

Leviticus 19:14 reminds us that how we treat others—especially when they are vulnerable—is a reflection of our character and our awareness of God. It challenges us to be more mindful, more compassionate, and more intentional in even the smallest interactions.

Shabbat Shalom,
Nancy