SR302: SR302 Rabbi Alvin Marx Sugarman; condolences

This resolution is a formal tribute from the Georgia Senate marking the death of Rabbi Alvin Marx Sugarman. It recounts his life story: born in Atlanta, educated at Emory University and the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, and his decades of service at The Temple, where he became senior rabbi in 1974 and rabbi emeritus in 2004. The resolution describes his work founding Interfaith Atlanta, co-founding the Atlanta Black Jewish Coalition with Congressman John Lewis, advocating for the Voting Rights Act, establishing homeless shelters, and performing early same-sex weddings in Georgia. The Senate resolves to honor his memory and express condolences, and directs the Secretary of the Senate to send a copy of the resolution to his family.

• Formally expresses the Georgia Senate's condolences on the death of Rabbi Alvin Marx Sugarman.
• Recounts his career at The Temple in Atlanta, from assistant rabbi in 1971 to rabbi emeritus in 2004.
• Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare a copy of the resolution for delivery to his family.
• Creates no new law, funding, or regulatory requirement, as is typical for a memorial resolution.

This resolution directly names the family of Rabbi Alvin Marx Sugarman, who will receive a copy, and members of the Georgia Senate, who adopt it as an official statement. It has no regulatory effect on the public.

The resolution carries no legal or regulatory effect on Georgians; its significance is symbolic, formally recording the Georgia Senate's recognition of Rabbi Sugarman's decades of civic and religious leadership in Atlanta and offering condolences to his family.

• The whereas clauses detail his education, his 33 years of service at The Temple, and his civic work including founding Interfaith Atlanta.
• The first resolving clause states the Senate joins in honoring his memory and expresses regret at his passing.
• The second resolving clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to make a copy available for distribution to his family.

1. 2025-02-28Senate Read and Adopted (Senate)
2. 2025-02-27Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Nan Orrock (D, SD-036)Primary sponsor
• Elena Parent (D, SD-044)
• Harold Jones (D, SD-022)
• Kim Jackson (D, SD-041)
• Sonya Halpern (D, SD-039)
• Jason Esteves (D, SD-035)
• Emanuel Jones (D, SD-010)
• Josh McLaurin (D, SD-014)
• Kenya Wicks (D, SD-034)
• Gail Davenport (D, SD-017)
• Tonya Anderson (D, SD-043)
• Sally Harrell (D, SD-040)
• Brian Strickland (R, SD-042)
• Bo Hatchett (R, SD-050)
• Blake Tillery (R, SD-019)
• RaShaun Kemp (D, SD-038)
• Ed Setzler (R, SD-037)
• Max Burns (R, SD-023)
• David Lucas (D, SD-026)
• Sheikh Rahman (D, SD-005)
• Donzella James (D, SD-028)
• Randal Mangham (D, SD-055)
• Michael Rhett (D, SD-033)

• memorial resolution
• Georgia Senate
• Atlanta history
• interfaith relations
• civil rights