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One of my favorite memories from my junior year abroad was dining at The BlackOut Restaurant,  just outside Tel Aviv.

BlackOut is one of the world's few completely dark restaurants, where diners eat in total darkness. The absence of sight enhances the other senses, making flavors, textures, and aromas more intense.

Beyond offering a unique culinary experience, BlackOut also exemplifies Tel Aviv’s reputation for social innovation. 

I have thought about that experience a lot over the years, and how challenging it was. And when I heard about the amazing Charlie Kramer and his program, Singing in the Dark, I knew I wanted to learn from him.

As Charlie shares on his website, he was diagnosed with a progressive visual disability (Retinitis Pigmentosa) at the age of five and declared legally blind at fifteen. He felt his dreams of living a “normal” life fading away.

For many years, he rejected his disability and was determined to live and function as a fully sighted person. He wouldn’t use his blind cane, never spoke about his blindness, and didn’t identify as disabled. He felt discouraged, hopeless, and lost. However, he transformed those emotions into a force for change. Today, he is a disability coach, an incredible musician, and a consultant who travels to synagogues across the country, helping them create more inclusive and supportive communities.

This Shabbat our Temple Sinai Hineini Committee is honored to welcome Charlie to our community—to teach us, to challenge us to do better, and to inspire us. Charlie will take a tour of our building and audit our programs.  AND, he will remind us that sometimes what we perceive as our greatest weakness is actually our greatest strength, bringing deeper meaning and purpose to our lives.

Join us this Shabbat at 6:30 pm as Charlie leads us in music and in prayer. 

The Torah teaches, “Do not place a stumbling block before the blind” (Leviticus 19:14), but this is a commandment that extends beyond the literal. It reminds us to remove all barriers—physical, social, and emotional—to reach out, to listen, and to learn. 

This weekend, may we open our hearts to those with different experiences, learn from their wisdom, and create a Temple Sinai where everyone is included: fully, proudly, and without barriers.

Shabbat Shalom.