The Los Alamos Jewish Center is a dream community for me as a rabbi. In Los Alamos, my responsibility to the community recalls that of another era when rabbis were predominantly teachers rather than worship leaders. Our community takes pride in active member involvement, with different individuals signing up in advance to take turns leading regular Shabbat services. My job is usually simply to keep the singing on key, but with some of the talent in our membership, I feel I earn my salary!

It is quite possible that the Los Alamos Jewish Center has the highest per capita Ph. D. population of any synagogue in America, and it is always a challenge to keep up with the deep and insightful questions which are posed in our frequent adult discussions. We have regular sessions following Friday evening services with a focus on the parashah, our current Talmudic tractate, or the books of Neviim depending on the week of the month. One often hears physics or mathematics used to buttress an argument, to the delight of some and the consternation of others. Nevertheless, it is extremely uncommon for us to come to blows, and the learning experience is shared by all, me included.

I encourage you to try out our community for a Shabbat or for a lifetime, but be forewarned that you may be asked to lead a service!