October 8, 2026 ()

Life Cycle Events

Wedding Information

Rabbi Dorsch is delighted to meet and provide counseling for all couples (synagogue members and non-members) who seek to understand how to build a Jewish home together. In addition to having successfully prepared couples for marriage, he is also a certified facilitator in the prestigious Prepare/Enrich program. Utilized by nearly four million couples worldwide, this nationally recognized program is the standard that helps couples better understand one another as they enter into a lifetime commitment.

In accordance with rabbinical assembly standards of practice, Rabbi Dorsch is certified to solemnize weddings between two Jewish participants. For information on choosing to become a member of the Jewish faith, please email Rabbi Dorsch directly.

Conversion

Rabbi Dorsch meets privately with students to prepare them to be welcomed into the Jewish people. This course of study is tailored to each student, and involves developing a meaningful commitment to Jewish religious life along the journey. For more information, please contact Rabbi Dorsch in our office.

Moving into Your New Home

New to the area? A member of our rabbinic team would love to come to your home for a Chanukkat HaBayit (home dedication), affix your first mezuzah to your doorpost, and formally welcome your family to our community.

Welcoming a New Jewish Child

Our rabbis are available to both member and non-member families to welcome your child into the Jewish people. Our rabbi may co-officiate a bris alongside a mohel in the location of your choosing. A traditional baby naming may also take place with an Aliyah at the synagogue, or a Simchat Bat ceremony (welcoming a new baby girl) may take place outside of the synagogue.

Death and Shiva Information

At Congregation Etz Chaim, we recognize that it is our role to support one another in times of joy as well as times of sadness.

In addition to contacting the funeral home to make arrangements, we ask that the following protocol be followed to make sure you get the spiritual guidance and care that you need as quickly as possible:

If your loss occurs during normal business hours, please contact the synagogue directly at 770-973-0137. You will be shortly forwarded to a member of our rabbinic team.
If your loss occurs after normal business hours (9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Friday) please contact the synagogue and press x122, for our Executive Director, Marty Gilbert. The call will forward immediately to him. He will then be in touch with our clergy who will be in touch to assist you.
If a loss occurs on Shabbat, please follow the same protocol above to be in touch with Marty Gilbert. Please note that if the loss occurs during Shabbat services there will likely be some lag time until you get a reply. Our clergy will be informed and contact you immediately following the conclusion of Shabbat (time varies based on sundown).

Please note:

Funeral times may not be finalized with the Funeral Home until confirming the availability of our rabbinic staff.
For use of our synagogue Chevra Kaddisha (burial society), please inform the funeral home that you would like a tahara, (a ritual washing), as a part of your arrangements. The funeral home will contact the Chevra Kaddisha directly.

In preparation for your intake meeting with our rabbis, you may read about the various rituals associated with Jewish death and Mourning here.

Bereavement Handbook

For a copy of the guide, In Your Time of Sorrow, please click here.

Shiva Notices

All shiva minyanim will be announced through an email blast.

We Remember

Memorialize a loved one with a plaque on our Yahrzeit Wall in the Radow Sanctuary or with a brick in our Holocaust Memorial Garden. For more information on purchasing a plaque, contact Betsy Fitzwater.
An Asterisk (*) denotes a memorial plaque in our sanctuary to be lit on the day of the yahrzeit and on all Yizkor holidays.

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