Children move through a variety of developmental stages. How can we support their identity development and family attachment in age appropriate ways? Children in interfaith families are integrating multiple traditions and family heritages, we will look at how to weave together disparate backgrounds into one whole “self.”

Marin Brandeis Hillel Day School, 180 North San Pedro Rd., San Rafael
April 27, 2010
8:30am to 10am

FREE and open to the community.
For more information email Dawn at dawn@buildingjewishbridges.org

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Would you like to start doing Shabbat? Need to start small or do you want to take it up a notch? Come learn easy steps to create “your” Shabbat. We’ll tell you how to have warm, homemade challah even if you work until 6pm. How to engage children of all ages. Ways to approach teens or other skeptics in your family. As a bonus, we’ll tell you how one simple ritual can improve your child’s and your health, happiness and well being. No kidding!

Join Rabbi Judy Shanks and Dawn Kepler

Date:    Saturday, Feb. 20

Time:    1:15pm.

Place:   Temple Isaiah, 3800 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette

For more information call Dawn at 510-845-6420 x11

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Your child has married someone not Jewish. You love their new spouse but you worry. Will my grandchildren be Jewish? Will I say the wrong thing if I express my concerns and feelings? Should we invite the non-Jewish in-laws to Jewish celebrations at our home? Can we do Jewish activities with the grandchildren without over stepping our children’s boundaries? Which holidays will they celebrate and how? Join other parents and grandparents to explore how to be TERRIFIC grandparents to your intermarried child and their family.

Monday, Feb. 22

7pm

In a cozy Oakland home

Free to members of Temple Sinai; $7 for non-members.

Call Dawn if you have any questions.

I was asked if non-Jewish grandparents could attend.  YES!  I had a lovely Zoroastrian couple who shared their thoughts and heritage with the group.

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Are you not Jewish, but keeping a Jewish home and raising Jewish kids?

Do you have questions about “doing Jewish,” or Jewish home rituals?

Do you have concerns about your child’s coming bar/bat mitzvah?

Has something bothered you or puzzled you in the Jewish community?

Are some (or all) of the holidays confusing?  Or fun, but you still have questions?

Do you practice another religion and wonder how other families balance the demands of multiple religious needs in one home?

Join Dawn Kepler, to discuss the questions and concerns that arise as you navigate your way through an interfaith/intercultural life.

Dates:   Sundays, March 7 and March 21 (2 meetings)

Time:    7:00-8:30pm

Place:   Oshman Family JCC, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto

Cost:    $20/member, $25/non-member of the Palo Alto JCC

To sign up contact:

Cody Schaffner

Family Connections Coordinator

Phone: (650) 223-8788

cschaffner@paloaltojcc.org

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Children move through a variety of developmental stages. How can we support their identity development and family attachment in age appropriate ways? Children in interfaith families are integrating multiple traditions and family heritages, we will look at how to weave together disparate backgrounds into one whole “self.”

San Francisco Brandeis Day School, 655 Brotherhood Way, San Francisco

Monday, March 15, 2010

7 to 8:30pm

Marin Brandeis Hillel Day School, 180 North San Pedro Rd., San Rafael

April 27, 2010

8:30am to 10am

FREE and open to the community.

For more information email Dawn at dawn@buildingjewishbridges.org

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Date: Sunday, January 31, 2010

Time: 10am

Place: Beth Israel Judea, 625 Brotherhood Way, San Francisco

The event is open to all and is FREE to BIJ members; Only $7 for non-members.

Drinks and noshes provided. Bring your friends!

For more information or to sign up contact Dawn at 510-845-6420 x11 or email dawn@buildingjewishbridges.org

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A Discussion for Girlfriends, Wives, Mothers & Grandmothers

Are you raising a child with a partner of a different (or no) religious tradition? How does gender impact interfaith relationships? Society places expectations on women as girlfriends, wives, mothers, grandmothers, aunts and best friends. Even in the 21st century, the home is the domain of the female parent. How does that play out with Judaism, a home based faith? What if you are a lesbian interfaith couple; are the religious responsibilities any different?

Come explore the roles, expectations, pluses and minuses of being female in an interfaith relationship. Jewish or not, wife or grandmother, join us for a lively supportive discussion.

To register please visit www.paloaltojcc.org or call Heidi Stein at (650) 223-8605

Co-sponsored by Building Jewish Bridges and the Oshman Family JCC, Palo Alto

2 sessions: Sundays, 7:00pm  October 25 – November 22  

Tuition: $25; $20/members of OFJCC

Site: Oshman Family JCC, 3921 Fabian Way Palo Alto, CA 94303, Palo Alto

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A discussion for girlfriends, wives, mothers and grandmothers

Join other women, Jewish or not, to examine interfaith marriage in relation to culture and gender.  What are the unique expectations and responses that a woman encounters as she creates a home and builds a family life in which her religion is not that of her partner?  Join a multi-generational discussion about the assumptions and possibilities surrounding our roles as sustainers of the family.

Date:    Oct. 11

Time:    12noon

Place:   Private home in Oakland

Cost:    $7/public; free to Temple Sinai members

Co- sponsored by Temple Sinai and Building Jewish Bridges.

To sign up and get directions call Dawn at 510-845-6420 x11

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How I Decided to Raise my Kids Jewish
How do non-Jewish parents decide to raise their children as Jews? What are their concerns?   Once the decision is made, how did they make it happen?  Did they retain their own religion?  How do they share their identity with their children?  Come hear a panel of non-Jewish parents as they discuss their journey to a Jewish home identity.

Date:      Nov. 1

Time:     10am to 11:45am

Place:     Beth Israel Judea, 625 Brotherhood Way, San Francisco

Cost:      $7; free to Beth Israel Judea members

For more information all Dawn at 510-845-6420 x11

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About 2 percent of Americans are Jewish.  Somewhere around 10 – 15 percent are gay, lesbian, transgendered, bisexual.  So how easy is it to be Jewish & gay and find another gay Jew?  You do the math.  It won’t surprise you to learn that most LGBT Jews are in interfaith relationships.  There are things about being interfaith that are standard fare – what will we do about the holidays?  what will our wedding look like?  how will we raise the kids?  where will we find spiritual community?  sometimes I feel weird about how Jewish/Christian/Hindu/secular you are.

Some things are unique to LGBT interfaith relationships.  We have both suffered from prejudice, alienation and rebuff.  We may be worried about our child having a role model from the “other gender.”  Our income tends to be lower than straight couples.  One or both of us may have been rejected by our religious or cultural community.  We feel extra protective of each other and our children.

Would you like to join other LGBT couples to discuss your concerns, hopes and plans?

I am starting an Interfaith LBGT couples discussion group to be co-facilitated by Rabbi Ruth Adar.  Here’s a description.  Call or email if you are interested.

Exploring Interfaith LGBTQ Relationships
Join us for an exploration of key issues that come up for interfaith couples: clarifying values, good communication, relationships with family and friends, finding community, and joyfully sharing each other’s traditions, holidays and religious observances. This class will be a combination of discussion, readings, and guided activities. All genders welcome.

Date:    Four sessions beginning Monday, Oct. 26
Time:    7:30 to 9pm
Place:   Kehilla Community Synagogue, 1300 Grand Ave., Piedmont 
Cost:    $80/couple, no one turned away for lack of funds.
For more information call Dawn at 510-845-6420 x11.

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