The Spark...In the Beginning

At the end of 2002, eighteen friends met to discuss the establishment of an egalitarian conservative synagogue in Sandy Springs. By the spring of 2003, committees were in place to find a rabbi, search for a meeting site, draft a budget, and adopt a mission statement. Rabbis Analia Bortz and Mario Karpuj, a dynamic couple from Argentina, were hired and became our spiritual leaders, guiding our community for the next seventeen years. Our newly formed synagogue was named Or Hadash, meaning “new light.”  

During its first decade, Or Hadash had several homes. In August of 2003, more than 300 members and guests gathered for Or Hadash’s first Shabbat service at the shul’s first home at Sandy Springs United Methodist Church. For six years, we were housed at The Weber School, where we had  space for a sanctuary, offices, and Machon Hadash, our robust religious school. Over the years, we shared other Jewish spaces for High Holiday services, including at Greenfield Hebrew Academy and the Marcus Jewish Community Center.  

The Flame

Our itinerant journey ended in February of 2013 when we moved into our permanent home on Trowbridge Road in Sandy Springs.  With much celebration, Or Hadash members marched the congregation’s Torah scrolls from The Weber School to our new, beautiful space, where a mezuzah was affixed to the front doorpost.  Our successful building campaign, A Time to Shine, enabled us to fulfill the vision of converting a car repair shop into a special sacred space for our community.  In 2016, Or Hadash’s unique building was recognized with an honor for “Adaptive Reuse/Preservation” at the regional American Institute of Architects conference. In addition, due to the generosity of our membership, the building was paid off in just five years--making Or Hadash debt-free.

The Glow

Or Hadash has bloomed from the initial seeds of a handful of families into a strong, engaged community of over 300 families. Our congregation has travelled together to Israel and Argentina and has participated in a three-year Tikkun Olam project to help a Honduran community become self-sufficient. We pray with our feet as well, participating in a host of Tikkun Olam activities in our community such as the Atlanta Community Food Bank’s Hunger Walk, feeding the hungry at nearby shelters, and providing winter clothing to our neighbors in need. Because music is an integral part of Or Hadash’s soul, we created a congregational musical ensemble, the New Light Band, that enhances our Kabbalat Shabbat services. 

The year 2020 was a significant transitional one for us, as Rabbis Analia and Mario decided to fulfill their life-long dream of making aliyah to Jerusalem.  On July 1, 2020, we were incredibly blessed to welcome Rabbi Lauren Henderson, formerly of Mishkan Chicago, to become our congregation’s new spiritual leader. We held a virtual Brit Kehillah, a communal covenant, in early 2021 to officially “install” Rabbi Lauren as our congregational leader. In tandem, we also hired our first director of lifelong learning, Dr. Amy Robertson, to lead our Or Hadash youth, B’nai Mitzvahs, teen and adult educational initiatives. 

In 2021, Or Hadash was chosen by Beit Hatfutsot, the Museum of Jewish People in Tel Aviv, for a new initiative called COM.UNITY, which highlights synagogues that represent the essence of the Jewish people worldwide. 

Or Hadash continues to grow and thrive. The congregation’s vibrant membership of all ages is involved in leading programs, expanding our community service work, and developing learning opportunities--all of which enhance our connections to Judaism and to each other.