On a cold night in December, 2002, a group of eighteen people met at the home of Rosi and Arnoldo Fiedotin to discuss the possibility of establishing a conservative synagogue in Sandy Springs. A major impetus behind this initial meeting was the desire to keep Rabbis Analia Bortz and Mario Karpuj in Atlanta after they completed their contracts at a local congregation.

Within three months, by-laws were written, and an application was made and accepted on March 23, 2003, for this fledgling group of idealists to officially become a part of the United Synagogues of America. Committees were hard at work, including a search committee, to interview rabbinic candidates, secure a site for services, draft a budget, and adopt a mission statement.

By the fifth month, Rabbis Analia and Mario were formally announced as the rabbis of the newly created Congregation Or Hadash. Less than eight months after that initial meeting, the congregation grew to include approximately fifty founding members. On August 1, 2003, over 300 people attended Congregation Or Hadash held its first Servicio de Shabbat, our name for the Friday night service.

Our initial home was at the Sandy Springs United Methodist Church, and our High Holiday services and Bar and Bat-Mitzvahs were held at the Greenfield Hebrew Academy.

In just four years, membership grew to over 300 and Congregation Or Hadash built its own sanctuary within the Weber School. High Holiday services were held at the Marcus Jewish Community Center for the first time in 2008 to meet the need of our nearly 1,000 members and extended families.

Zionism is a central core value of Congregation Or Hadash. Study and travel to Israel are important parts of our programming. Missions to Israel took place in December 2003, June 2006 and our third one is scheduled for June 2010. Our diverse membership includes families from throughout the U. S. and around the world bringing an international curiosity and commitment to learning and social justice. In 2006 members traveled to Honduras in a three year Tikkun Olam project leading to the community's self sufficiency. In 2009 members traveled to Argentina, the home of our rabbis, to learn about the history and Jewish community and their personal stories. All of these trips were multigenerational, another special and inclusive part of the Or Hadash experience.

Music has continued to play a significant role in defining the unique nature of Congregation Or Hadash. Our New Light Band, comprised of 17 members ages 12 to 62. plays bi-monthly at Friday night services called Rhythm and Ruach Shabbat. The band released a CD in July 2009 and members received it as a gift during the High Holidays. Music infuses many of the synagogue's programs with children and families and our Tikkun Olam projects throughout the community.

Today our congregation proudly boasts a membership of 350 units, a thriving religious school, exceptional Tikkun Olam opportunities, diverse adult
education programs and family activities, and music and study to elevate our prayer services. Words frequently used to describe our growing, egalitarian, Conservative synagogue include warm, Hamish, spiritual, inclusive, intimate, joyous, interactive, intellectual, emotional, welcoming, friendly, family and musical.