Author Archives: Rabbi Thiede

Sometime over fall break, the UNC-Charlotte Hillel succah was destroyed.

The bamboo coverings were stolen and the frame for the succah was deliberately bent and ruined beyond repair. The large sign decorated with a Star of David and with Hillel’s name (as well as contact emails for interested students) was defaced with a small, but legible comment: “F.U.”

The campus police have determined that the succah was damaged purposefully, and have declared this a hate crime.

Hillel students at UNC-Charlotte are cultivating and nurturing Jewish life with heart and courage. They deserve our support. To that end, as UNCC’s on-call rabbi, I will be meeting with students who need counseling over the next few days. Our congregation will continue to offer those students a congregational home.

Temple Or Olam is also mounting a fundraiser to replace UNCC Hillel’s succah. If you would like to contribute, please contact us at info@or-olam.org.

We must respond to acts of malevolence and hate by remaining an open, vibrant, and public presence for Judaism and Jewish community in our area. That, in fact, is our purpose. May we be strengthened in it.

Pray for peace,

Reb Barbara

Did you ever hope to actually understand the prayers you are reading? This summer, I am offering a class that offers an opportunity for our congregants to learn the rudiments of prayerbook Hebrew.

You don’t need to read Hebrew fluently to take this class, but you do need to be able to read. We will use the text Prayerbook Hebrew Made Easy. The course will be held on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. beginning May 20 and will run ten to twelve weeks. We’ll meet at my house, in Concord.

If four take the class, the charge will be $15 per hour per person. The fee will be $12.50 per person if there are six or more students. I will ask participants to pay for all classes, even if they are absent (though I will, of course, be willing to try and make up the material by phone if that should happen). The textbook can be found at the URL above.

If you want to participate in this class and can’t get the book by tour first session, no worries – copies will be available. Please let me know if you are interested, and feel free to ask for more information.

B’shalom,
Reb Barbara