I would love to see you – online!
I have this program coming up at the end of January:
Creating & Sustaining Jewish Traditions at Home
Whether you’re the Jewish parent or the non-Jewish parent, you’re probably busy. That makes integrating Jewish traditions an additional task – and a time consuming one at that!
What can you do?
What do you have time to do??
Who is in your home – toddlers, school age kids, teens, just the two of you?
Let’s brainstorm about what you wish for and what you hadn’t even thought of to make your house the home of YOUR Jewish practices. I’ll come with ideas. You come with curiosity – and ideas of your own!
Here’s the article that got me thinking.
Date: Thursday, January 30, 2025
Time: 7 to 8pm
Online – email me for the Zoom link at dawn@buildingjewishbridges.org
Free
Let me share a few interesting online articles with you
A Glance Back at Christmas
Here’s an article about how a Jew observed Christmas in a Jewish context and misses the cozy sense of belonging.
Anti-Semitism has Changed America
Anti-Semitism has swollen up like a tsunami and is no longer taboo. I hadn’t thought about it this way. Read this article to gain perspective on how American society is changing… again.
Microaggressions vs. Microaffirmations
The focus of this brief article is primarily racism. But what popped into my mind is the way patrilineal Jews are spoken to. In a recent communication with my adults from interfaith families (AdultIFF) one of the new members emailed me back saying, “Thank you for calling patrilineal Jews, JEWS. We are.”
Now honestly, another person might call me out for using the modifier, patrilineal, and I’ve waited for that over the years. I remember a woman who asked me, “why do you call someone a ‘convert’ or a ‘Jew by choice’; we’re just Jews.” I answered, “The experience of becoming a Jew is different from being born a Jew. I need to identify those individuals who share an experience in common. Those are the people I ask to speak on panels or to speak to others curious about the process. I can’t ask a born Jew; what do they know?” The same is true for patrilineal Jews; they live in a different reality. They deserve the respect of being seen has having special knowledge.
COMING EVENTS
Baby, Me and Community (San Francisco)
Mitzvah Day (Palo Alto area)
Jewish Mindfulness Meditation (Oakland)
Crash Course on Israel (Online)
Refugee Awareness Shabbat (Oakland)
Baby, Me and Community
Join us and friends from Beth Sholom for a special Baby, Me, and Community event! Families are invited to connect through joyful song, dance, and prayer led by music maestro Jonathan Bayer.
Date: Friday, Jan 17
Time: 10:30am – 11:15am
Place: Beth Sholom, 301 14th Ave., San Francisco
Details here
Mitzvah Day
Join us on Sunday, January 19 and Monday, January 20 for two days of service. Bring your friends and family to work together on various fun and meaningful projects to bring to life Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s inspirational legacy of community service, justice and equality for all.
Mitzvah day will be held in person at the Oshman Family JCC, Gideon Hausner Day School, Los Altos United Methodist Church and other satellite locations.|This is a communitywide event so please review the details here.
Dates: Jan. 19 and 20
Time: All day options
Place: Palo Alto Area
Jewish Mindfulness Meditation
Come explore the Jewish practice of “grounding,” a practice that facilitates the ability to find strength and stability amid chaos, crisis, and internal/external strife.
“Groundedness” leads to the Jewish attribute of Equanimity, Hishtavoot. Hishtavoot allows you to be present, to be able to respond mindfully to situations and not react with extremes of emotion. This promotes a sense of stability.
Join Steve Goldstein as he leads a monthly Jewish Guided Meditation session in cultivating middot (attributes) such as gratitude, loving kindness, joy, forgiveness/self-forgiveness, and compassion. All are welcome, both experienced meditators and those who are new to meditation.
You are welcome to come to one or all the sessions. Each class is a stand-alone session. Register
Date: Saturday, January 25
Time: 9:00am
Place: Temple Sinai’s Albers Chapel, 2808 Summit St., Oakland
www.oaklandsinai.org
Crash Course on Israel
What Has Changed since October 7th
Are you still trying to process what happened since October 7th? How did it happen? How do we continue to move forward and experience not just grief or hopelessness, but deep joy and light in all the darkness?
Join us on Zoom to learn from Charlotte Korchak, an engaging teacher and Senior Educator and Director of International Programs for StandWithUs Israel. Charlotte will cover key developments including 10/7, the wars with Hamas and Hezbollah, attacks from and against Iran, the effect on the Israeli and Palestinian people and leaders, the impact on the Middle East, the Abraham Accords and more.
Date: Sunday, January 26
Time: 10:00am
Place: Zoom
Hosts are Beth Jacob, Redwood City and Beth Am, Los Altos Hills
SIGN UP NOW! The lecture and Q&A are free, but registration is required to get the Zoom link.
Refugee Awareness Shabbat
Jewish Family & Community Services East Bay (JFCS East Bay), in partnership with Temple Sinai’s Social Action committee, will sponsor a community-wide “Refugee Shabbat” at our Friday night service. Refugee Shabbat is a HIAS-initiated project, giving congregations across the U.S. the opportunity to dedicate time to reflect on the refugee crisis around the world and to raise awareness of local resettlement efforts of refugees and immigrants from such countries as Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Central America. The themes of Refugee Shabbat include oppression, escape, and the rebuilding of lives. A guest speaker from HIAS will present current information on immigrants and refugees. We will also hear from an individual who was resettled by JFCS East Bay. Learn about the particular challenges that HIAS and JFCS East Bay face in the coming years with refugee resettlement and support for immigrants. We hope that you can attend.
In partnership with HIAS, JFCS East Bay, and Temple Sinai Social Action Committee Artwork by Rabbi Peretz Wolf-Prusan
Date: Friday, January 31
Time: 6:30pm
Place: Livestream and Temple Sinai, 2808 Summit St., Oakland
www.oaklandsinai.org
The post I Hope You’ll Join Me appeared first on Building Jewish Bridges.