I am excited to announce that Rabbi Hillel Norry will be joining Beth Shalom as our Interim Rabbi beginning July 1st. He will be with us through the High Holidays, for all life cycle events, and will shepherd us through our search for a permanent rabbi. He will be with us every other Shabbat weekend and, with help from Risa, all spiritual, educational, life cycle and holiday needs will be covered.  Rabbi Norry brings over two decades of experience to the pulpit. Born and raised in Rochester, NY, he is a graduate of Brandeis University and the Jewish Theological Seminary. He led Congregation Shaare Zedek on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, followed by a long stint as the senior rabbi for Congregation Shearith Israel in Atlanta (2002-2015). In 2017, he was the Rabbi for Congregation Beth Israel in Gulfport, Mississippi. Most recently, he has found a calling as an interim rabbi, helping congregations like ours (Chattanooga, Birmingham, Snellville GA) regain its footing after leadership change. He told me he already feels a part of our Jewish community: “I look forward to getting to know everyone personally, to learning and growing together, and to seeing what makes this historic community so meaningful for so many.” His interests and talents are varied. He is a scholar of both ancient and contemporary meditation, the lead Jewish Chaplain in the DeKalb County Jail in Decatur, Georgia, and served as Rabbi-in-Residence for the Wisconsin Ramah Darom for many years. He is a 3rd Dan black belt and martial arts Tae Kwon Do instructor, a certified firearms instructor, an avid vegan chef and bread baker, and a lifelong musician of guitar and harmonica.

A synagogue is a building, a structure of mortar and wood, but a congregation is what endows the synagogue with meaning.

We are proud of our spiritual home, Beth Shalom Synagogue.  It has had a long and illustrious history, which extends back one hundred years and counting!  Still, a building without including those who fill it is like having a lavish meal with no one to partake of its delicacies.

We are a welcoming community that cherishes each of its members, and rejoices in one another’s accomplishments, and supports each other in times of pain and loneliness.  You will find a genuine, warm welcome here.

We recognize that no one is alike.  We look different from one another.  We have different lifestyles, choices, and have diverse personalities.  But this is where we gather in joy.

As is usually translated, the name of our home is Beth Shalom, House of Peace.  Yet, the real source of Shalom is “whole” or “complete.”  What we seek to provide for our members and the Jewish community is a sense of wholeness.  Here, friendships are created and cemented.  Long-lasting partnerships have been formed under this roof.  Generations of laughter and growth as we celebrate as our children play and learn the ways of our past, which becomes the roadmap for our future.

When you join us for a service, Bubbie’s Brisket celebration (a culinary festival), holy days, life milestones, adult centers of learning, senior programs, social gatherings, dinners, dances, or whatever else, you will find a place for you here.

We are delighted to widen our circle to include you.