THE TEMPLE MOSAIC
The Temple is pleased to introduce “The Temple Mosaic,” an important new initiative ensuring The Temple is warm and welcoming to all and celebrates the diversity of our changing city.
While we are immensely proud of The Temple’s history as the oldest temple in Atlanta, being the city’s most diverse synagogue is the title we value most.
The founding members pictured above, along with Temple leadership, have been self-auditing our community and are developing strategies to help our leadership and membership become more reflective of the changing faces of Reform Judaism: racial, ethnic, gender identity, sexual orientation, family structure and background, and those with physical limitations.
Everything we do will be to ensure we live up to The Temple’s mission and vision statement of providing a warm and welcoming home for all who seek an inclusive Jewish community.
To help us in this effort, Temple Mosaic will share quarterly stories featuring The Temple’s work fostering a more welcoming and inclusive environment. For this first feature, we thought we would start with some Mosaic members in their very own words:
“I am Puerto Rican. I am also Jewish. Many people often do a double take when they find out I am both. Jews, however, represent all racial backgrounds and ethnicities. At The Temple, we understand that while all Jews may not look the same, we share similar values, customs, and traditions. I am proud to be a member of Temple Mosaic to help promote our culture of diversity and inclusion.”- Judge Dax Lopez
“I live in Morningside with my husband and two children and have been a member of The Temple for more than ten years. I am proud to be a part of the Temple Mosaic and to find our greatest strength as we unite our temple community through a lens that celebrates our differences.” - Deborah Danzig
“My wife and I joined The Temple in 2015 and welcomed our daughter into the community in 2018. I am very excited to be part of Temple Mosaic because it allows me to share my ideas and implement new programs and initiatives to further showcase The Temple’s steadfast commitment to diversity and inclusion.” - Gail Podolsky
“The Temple was one of my first stops when my then fiancé and I moved to Atlanta four years ago. I immediately felt at home and am so thankful for the milestones I’ve been blessed to celebrate here. From my own conversion and Bat Mitzvah, to my daughter’s baby naming, The Temple has been there for me and my growing family in a profound way. I’m proud to add my story to the aptly named Temple Mosaic.” - Yang Yang
Temple Mosaic is committed to making The Temple's services warm and welcoming for everyone. We are happy to provide children's fidget bags to help our younger worshipers enjoy the services. These bags have some quiet activities/games/and toys, just please return the items to the bags and replace them on the cart. For any children with sensory needs, we also have some noise-reducing headphones and other items to help them enjoy The Temple experience.
