Clergy Voice
Updates from Temple’s clergy
January 2026
Dear Friends,
Just steps from our doors, families in our neighborhood are living with fear and uncertainty that is shaping their everyday lives. Parents are making impossible decisions to keep their loved ones safe. The weight of this moment is profound.
To better understand what our neighbors are living through right now, we took time to meet with and listen to leaders at Ella Baker Global Studies & Humanities School on 26th and Hennepin. What we heard was heartbreaking.
Ella Baker serves Pre-K through 8th grade and is home to many immigrant families. Nearly half of students have not been coming to school because parents are afraid to leave their homes. Many are rushing to put legal plans in place in case they are suddenly separated from their children. Educators are doing everything they can to offer stability and care amidst extraordinary stress.
Our tradition calls us to act. The Torah teaches, V’ahavta l’reicha k’mocha: love your neighbor as yourself. In this moment, loving our neighbor means responding now.
How you can help
Temple Israel is organizing an immediate, concrete response in partnership with Ella Baker School to support families. If you are able to help, please complete this brief form today so we know how you can be involved. We will follow up quickly with next steps.
Additionally, the need for financial assistance for immigrant families is significant. Many families are already behind on rent and utilities because they are not able to work. Are you able to contribute to our Immigration Justice Fund to help support families in need? Under the section: "Select the fund to which you would like to donate," select the Immigration Justice Fund from the drop down list.
Thank you for your support for families during this very challenging time.
B’virkat Shalom, (With blessings of peace)
Rabbi Marcia Zimmerman
Alvin & June Perlman Senior Rabbinic Chair
Rabbi Jennifer Hartman
Rabbi Sim Glaser Rabbinic Chair
Rabbi Jason Rodich
Associate Rabbi
Alex Bonoff
Cantorial Soloist
Fall 2025
Rabbi Marcia A. Zimmerman
Alvin & June Perlman Senior Rabbinic Chair
High Holy Days at Temple Israel: Detours, Directions, and Divine Connections
Dear Friends,
As we prepare to gather for Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, we find ourselves in a city filled with orange cones, blocked intersections, and unexpected detours. The journey to Temple Israel this year may require a bit more advanced planning—and maybe a touch more patience. But perhaps it is more than just a logistical challenge. Perhaps it is also an invitation.
After all, detours—frustrating though they may be—often become the very path we need. In life, as on the road, a detour can pull us away from what we expected and steer us toward something we never would have discovered otherwise: a fresh perspective, a hidden strength, an unexpected connection. Sometimes the roadblocks become part of the blessing—nudging us to slow down, look around, and pay attention in new ways.
Directions matter. Especially when the usual routes are not available.
“At Temple Israel, we hope your path leads you here—no matter how many twists and turns it takes to get to our doors. Whether you are arriving with questions or clarity, with heavy burdens or full hearts, with long-held traditions or brand-new curiosity, you are welcome.”
This sacred season of reflection calls us to ask: Where am I going? And how do I want to get there? The High Holy Days are like a divine recalibration, helping us align our inner compass with our deepest values. In a world full of noise, speed, and distraction, these Days of Awe offer us something rare and holy: a chance to pause, reflect, and find our sacred direction.
At Temple Israel, we hope your path leads you here—no matter how many twists and turns it takes to get to our doors. Whether you are arriving with questions or clarity, with heavy burdens or full hearts, with long-held traditions or brand-new curiosity, you are welcome.
This year, we invite you to show up—for services, for community, for yourself. There is nothing like seeing your face in the sanctuary. Your presence brings energy, warmth, and spirit to our shared holy days. The familiar melodies, the heartfelt sermons, and the power of gathering come alive because you are there.
We can’t wait to greet you—through every twist and turn, into a space where connection, meaning, and renewal await.
Shanah Tovah u’Metukah—Wishing you a sweet, safe, and meaningful new year.
Rabbi Marcia A. Zimmerman