Congregation Emanu-El of Waukesha

05/11/2026

Statement Against Antisemitic Vandalism and Misuse of Scripture in Lisbon, WI

We, the leadership of Congregation Emanu-El of Waukesha, are deeply disturbed and heartbroken by the cowardly act of vandalism discovered at the Lisbon Village Hall and 9/11 memorial over the weekend. We consider the presence of antisemitic graffiti as a direct attack on us. It was designed to incite fear, intimidation, and division within our Waukesha County communities. We appreciate the Waukesha Sheriff’s swift action in investigating this hate crime and encourage anyone with information to come forward.

We strongly condemn this act of hate. Such hate speech, which often attempts to weaponize religious scripture, is an abhorrent distortion of faith. Specifically, referencing passages like Matthew 6—which Christians should know calls for humility, charity, and inner piety—in the context of vandalism is a perversion of the text's core message of love and spiritual integrity. Misusing scripture to justify bigotry is a gross misrepresentation of its purpose. Misinterpreting these passages has contributed to the persecution of Jewish communities by painting our traditions with the brush of inauthenticity or malice.

All Americans should also be appalled at the desecration of the 9/11 memorial. More than mere destruction of property, it is a profound act of disrespect aimed at the heart of our nation. By defacing this sacred space, which honors the thousands of innocent lives lost in the September 11 attack, vandals insult the memory of victims, the courage of first responders, and the still grieving families.

Hate has no place in our community. We are comforted in the knowledge that our interfaith partners stand in solidarity with the Jewish community, reaffirming that all of our neighbors—regardless of race, religion, or identity—are valued, safe, and welcome. We remain committed to educating against prejudice and fostering a community built on respect and understanding.

Congregation Emanu-El of Waukesha
Cantor Martin Levson, Spiritual Leader
Loren Schmidt, President
Mark Levy, Vice President

04/17/2026

The service tonight (April 17, 2026) is going to be online only due to the severe weather in the forecast. The Potluck dinner and Band performance will be rescheduled.

02/28/2026

TAKE ACTION NOW! STOP THE KOTEL BILL!
IF THIS BILL PASSES, THE WAY YOU PRACTICE JUDAISM COULD BE A CRIMINAL OFFENSE! ISRAEL'S LEADERS AND REPS ABROAD NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU!!

Read the Reform Movement's statement:
Reform Movement Condemns Knesset Vote to Criminalize Egalitarian Prayer at the Western Wall
https://urj.org/press-room/reform-movement-condemns-knesset-vote-criminalize-egalitarian-prayer-western-wall?interests=israel&utm_source=sfmc&utm_medium=email&utm_content=2/27/2026__EmailJobID-9418858___

Email Your Israeli Consulate
The Israeli government hosts representatives in the capitals of the U.S. and Canada, as well as throughout North America. Their responsibility includes maintaining the Israel-Diaspora relationship. Use our action alert to contact your nearest embassy and consulate.
https://arza.org/send-an-email-to-your-local-consulate/?interests=israel&utm_source=sfmc&utm_medium=email&utm_content=2/27/2026__EmailJobID-9418858___

Read Rabbi Rick Jacobs and Rabbi Jacob Blumenthal’s op-ed criticizing the criminalization of egalitarian prayer at the Kotel.
https://www.jta.org/2026/02/23/ideas/7-years-in-prison-for-praying-at-the-western-wall-netanyahus-coalition-is-threatening-a-war-on-jewish-unity?interests=israel&utm_source=sfmc&utm_medium=email&utm_content=2/27/2026__EmailJobID-9418858___

02/27/2026

"Be Silly! It's Adar!" Shabbat Shalom!

The origin of SPAM.If you like this video, support Monthy Python buying their DVD.

02/26/2026

Be Silly! It's Adar!

No it isn’t! Yes it is! Welcome to the Argument Clinic, where you can purchase a first-class argument, a good contradiction, or just some abuse (that’s next ...

02/25/2026

Be Silly! It's Adar!

From the movie. Fan video.

02/24/2026

Be Silly! It's Adar!

Classic Monty Python sketch.

01/12/2026

01/12/2026

𝙐𝙥𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙚: 𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙞𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙣 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙮𝙣𝙖𝙜𝙤𝙜𝙪𝙚'𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙗𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨, 𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙠: https://www.bethisraelms.org/rebuilding-updates

Early this Shabbat, Beth Israel Congregation—Jackson, Mississippi’s only synagogue and the largest congregation in the state—was severely damaged in what officials are calling an act of arson.

This is the same synagogue that was bombed by the Ku Klux Klan in 1967 because of the rabbi’s and congregation's support for civil rights.

The Central Conference of American Rabbis sends our love, support, and "koach" to the members of this congregation; to the staff at the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life - ISJL which operates out of the congregation, and to the Jewish community of Jackson.

Two Torahs were destroyed and several more were damaged by this act, meant to strike fear in the hearts of Jews and destroy our sense of safety and community. Miraculously, a Torah that survived the Holocaust was spared in the fire.

Antisemitism does not just affect Jews; it is a mark of a much deeper social sickness. But despite this dark chapter in American history, we draw strength from our community and inspiration from this surviving Torah. Like the "ner tamid" (eternal flame), the Jewish people are a light that cannot be extinguished. We will continue to share our miracles and shine our light.

01/07/2026

Why is the Memorial Scrolls Trust (MST) still important?

It is now over 60 years since Ralph Yablon z"l rescued 1564 Torah and other scrolls from further damage and loss from the Czech communists, after they survived the Shoah. By 2000 all the available scrols had been allocated to communities and organisations around the world. So what are we doing now?

The Czech Torah scrolls are survivors and silent witnesses of the holocaust, coming from a land whose Jewish population never exceeded 125,000. Despite small in number Czech Jews performed well in every aspect of society.

Our sTorah crolls have been allocated to more than 1300 communities from Alaska to New Zealand and Singapore to Buenos Aires, being used in services and for remembrance and education by more Jews than everr lived at one time, in Bohemia and Moravia now known as the Czech Republic.

The MST scrolls are never sold or gifted, rather allocated on Loan, to be returned to the MST if the recipient community closes or merges with another of our scroll-holders. As a result we are re-allocating some 12 - 15 scrolls annually and continue to receive applications from around the world.

Our scrolls are living proof of the Jewish communities in large numbers that existed before the holocaust. As the human survivors slowly depart this world, the scrolls continue to be used not only for religious purposes, but also for remembrance, education and intra-faith work.

These unique Torah, many of them hundreds of years old and a few dating to the 15th, 14th and even 13th centuries contain the Jewish Pentateuch, the most sacred book for Jews, but also the Old Testament revered in Christianity and Al Tarwat, the 5 Books of Musa sacred in Islam.

As we start 2026, with so many wars and conflicts continuing around the world, the Czech Torah scrolls can be used meaningfully to remind people of all faiths and even those of none, of what we have in common, rather than of what divides us.