Temple Emanu-El has a busy month ahead

Temple Emanu-El of Long Beach has been an epicenter of cultural and religious events across the city for quite some time. Special Shabbats, performances and talks have brought many different people together as one.

Coming up next on the calendar is a musical tribute to Joel Grey on June 10. The event, Shades of Grey, will have music, dessert and raffles for everyone.

Shortly after, is a big event. The temple will be hosting its Pride Shabbat on June 16, right in the middle of the countrywide Pride Month. Pride Month is currently celebrated each year to recognize the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan. The Stonewall Uprising was a major point during the Gay Liberation Movement in the country.

The Shabbat will be having some special inclusions. There’ll be songs that are all related to the theme. There will also be rainbow flags all over the temple. Rabbi Jack Zanerhaft said they really want to make it clear that the temple is very inclusive and embraces all different kinds of thinking.

“This is an important message for the society, religion and this community at this service,” Zanerhaft said. “We feel very strongly about making sure people are included. Whether it’s people who are Jewish, have a partner who’s Jewish, or not, have a place to pray, a place to come together and a place to celebrate holidays.”

Zanerhaft said people can often be not so accepted, so he hopes the temple can achieve becoming a place they always are. The temple has been hosting this special Shabbat since 2017.

Collette Lee-Morales, co-founder of NY Fit Fest, a major fitness and health event that comes to Long Beach each year, will be a guest speaker at the Shabbat.

Then, on June 28, a much different event will be happening. There will be an informative lecture on the Jewish influences on the life and work of Albert Einstein.

The temple will have numerous more events throughout the year, including special and unique one, like when there was a little bit of the green there. That was when the temple celebrated “Shabbat for Irish History Month” to connect the Jewish and Irish communities on the barrier island in March.

“It’s really such an important slice of our mission to really demonstrate and reach out to all parts of the community,” Zanerhaft said of that event. “Long Beach has a very strong Italian community, Irish, African American, Latino, Asian and so many others. So in this age of divisiveness, we really want to create togetherness.”