Temple Or Olam

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building_name =Temple Or Olam
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location =Concord, NC
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religious_affiliation =Nondenominational Judaism
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leadership =Barbara Thiede
website =http://www.or-olam.org/
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Temple Or Olam is the first and to date only Jewish congregation in Cabarrus County. It was founded in 2003 by Barbara Thiede and Brian Cutler, who had initially only been intending to get a minyan together for Passover and other Jewish events. This group eventually became Havurat Olam. In 2008, the congregation changed its name to Temple Or Olam. It is currently an intimate Jewish congregation of roughly 30 families. The Hebrew phrase "Or Olam" literally translates to "light for the world".

History

Temple Or Olam was first formed in 2003. In 2004, Temple Or Olam received a Torah from Temple Emanu-El, a congregation closing its doors in Weldon, North Carolina. The congregation had the Torah fully restored by nationally recognized scribe and calligrapher Neil Yerman. [http://www.or-olam.org/torah.htm] In 2004, the congregation also celebrated what is believed to be the first Bar/Bat Mitzvah in Cabarrus County.

ervices

Temple Or Olam holds Friday night services twice every month. [http://www.or-olam.org/newsmenu.htm] The congregation has held interfaith programs with local churches such as McGill Baptist church. In 2008, the congregation had its first Beatles service, a service done entirely with music written by the British rock band.

External links

* [http://www.or-olam.org/ The Temple Or Olam website.]