Did you hear the one about the Rabbi? You know - the one about the native of McAllen, TX who disappointed his Jewish parents and didn't become a doctor or a lawyer, but chose instead to become an elementary school teacher? Yep, we're talking about Rabbi Robert Haas, the current 14th spiritual leader of Congregation Mickve Israel.
If you missed our last meeting, you missed a great history lesson (and comedy show - Rabbi Haas also does stand-up and was delivering one-liners throughout all of lunch) on quite the impressive Jewish history in Savannah since July 11,1733. 41 Jews intentionally arrived in Savannah and brought with them one of the first Torah scrolls written in the mid-1400s. Georgia was the only 1 of the 13 colonies to give Jews full rights, which consisted of a plot of land to farm, a house downtown, and arms - which was unheard of. They were well received because one of the Jews was a doctor who helped treat yellow fever at the time. Rabbi Haas also mentioned that Savannah is unique in that we have 4,500 Jews living here and there are 2 families - the Sheftalls and the Minas - that date back their origins to 1733.
Rabbi Haas is currently the 14th spiritual leader of Congregation Mickve Israel and talked to us about the 3 different congregations in town - reformed, conservative, and traditional orthodox.