Visit the streets of Shushan with us from your home on Friday, February 26 at 5:30 p.m. during our virtual Purim celebration.

Join Rabbi Meir when we read from the Megillah and make merry with a shpiel telling the story of Esther, followed by our Shabbat service. (Find the Zoom link in our weekly email or contact the Temple office for access information.)

Be part of this memorable experience online by wearing a crown, cape, or costume to get in the mood. Grab a grogger or a box of macaroni and cheese to shake when Haman’s name is read. Have your wine nearby to celebrate the triumph of the Jews of Persia - and remember to save some for Sabbath Kiddush!

Expand your Jewish knowledge and friendships by being part of our growing community of lifelong learners. Three weekly study options are available online for those interested in a deeper exploration of Torah or Hebrew texts. 

Torah Study - Delve into important lessons in the weekly Torah portion with Rabbi Meir Bargeron on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. on Zoom. Everyone who is post-B’nai Mitzvah and older is welcome.

Five Books of Moses - Read and study the Torah, verse by verse, with classic commentaries by Rashi, Rashbam, Seforno and many others during a weekly study group led by Rabbi Mitchell Kornspan on Sundays at 7 p.m. on Zoom. Temple members, as well as members of the larger Fort Wayne Jewish community, are invited to participate.

Hebrew Liturgy Study Group - Study the Hebrew texts – both Orthodox and Reform – of the daily and Shabbat liturgies on Mondays at 7 p.m. led by Dr. John Planer on Zoom. The group will begin at a basic level of Hebrew with a focus to understand the meanings and grammar of the texts we recite and to note significant variants. 

Zoom links will be sent directly to members of our Temple family in the weekly email. Guests are welcome. Please contact us at office@templecav.org or (260) 744-4245 for access information.

The Israeli film “The Matchmaker” is an unexpected coming-of-age story. Arik, a teenage boy growing up in Haifa in 1968, befriends a traditional Jewish matchmaker, a Holocaust survivor, and begins to learn the mysteries of the human heart. Watch the trailer

This award-winning film directed by Avi Nesher is the focus of our Temple Movie Night discussion on Saturday, February 20 at 7 p.m. on Zoom, led by Micah Soltz. Please watch the movie in advance. The two-hour film is in Hebrew with English subtitles and available on AmazonPrime or to rent on YouTube.

Bring your own popcorn and join us from your home! We’ll begin with Havdalah, followed by conversation about the film and a chance to connect with other movie lovers. The Zoom link will be provided in the weekly email to our Temple family. Community members may contact the Temple at office@templecav.org or (260) 744-4245 for access information.

Thank you for your continued support of the Temple as we navigate these difficult times. We continue to be cautious in our plans to re-open the Rifkin Campus as we monitor recommendations from health and government officials, as well as consider feedback from our members. A COVID Task Force of congregants from the legal, medical, human resources, educational, local community, and congregational fields is developing a reopening plan and protocols.

The Temple remains closed for services, Religious School, programming, and meetings. The staff will continue to work in the building and follow safety guidelines. We remain committed to upholding Judaism's highest priorities for maintaining life and health.

Keeping our Achduth Vesholom family connected through online worship, educational, and social offerings will continue, along with our ongoing outreach to members without internet access.

We recognize this is a challenging time for everyone. The Temple is a kehillah kedoshah, a holy community, that is here for you. Please reach out to us if you any questions or concerns. Office hours are Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Contact us at (260) 744-4245 or office@templecav.org.

We will continue to keep our members updated regularly. Please also check for information on our website and our congregational Facebook page. 

We welcome you to Congregation Achduth Vesholom, where we’ve been building Jewish community since 1848. As Indiana’s oldest Jewish congregation, we have a long tradition of bringing together those who want to share the joy of Judaism. 

Under the spiritual leadership of Rabbi Meir Bargeron, we offer many opportunities for worship, learning, social action, culture, and friendship. A charter member of the Union for Reform Judaism, our congregation is warmly open to the traditional riches of the Jewish past, while continuously looking for ways to build a creative and meaningful future.

Our name means "unity and peace." We are truly a family at the Temple. We support one another in times of difficulty, share life’s blessings at times of joy, and work together to bring about tikkun olam, the betterment of the world around us.

Please visit our congregation and our beautiful Rifkin Campus at 5200 when we re-open. Find out how to become a member of our Temple family. Learn about our Religious School.

The next virtual Temple Book Club on Tuesday, March 2 at 7 p.m. features a discussion with author Goldie Goldbloom about her novel, On Division, winner of the 2020 Jewish Fiction Award.

Rachel Kamin of the Association of Jewish Libraries writes, “The result is a multi-layered story of how secrets can shake even the most secure and close-knit families that is accessible to readers both familiar and unfamiliar with the insular world of ultra-Orthodox Jews."

On Division is available in the Rabbi Richard B. Safran Library. RSVP to receive the link to attend.