This is Pride Week in the San Francisco Bay and Building Jewish Bridges is proud to support LGBTQ Jews and their partners. Our local Jewish population studies found that the vast majority of gay Jews who are in relationships are in interfaith relationships. BJB welcomes LGBTQ couples to all our programs. To get involved in…
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When a Child asks, Why Aren’t You Jewish?
Some parents fear this question. They aren’t sure what to say. Let’s consider the question and the possible answers. First, why is your child asking that question? You want to find out what she is thinking. Begin with, “what made you think of that, honey? Why do you ask?” Some possible reasons are: Your child…
Read More »An Israeli Shavuot Food/Craft
Fun and delicious – make them with friends or children! One of the best ways Israelis enjoy celebrating Shavuot in Israel is to prepare tene bikkurim, a basket filled with greens, fruit and other treats, which symbolizes the first yield of the agricultural year. Children in Israel participate in parades wearing white clothing, each one…
Read More »Shavuot
As with all Jewish holidays, Shavuot begins at sundown. It is one of the three pilgrimage festivals. It is commanded in the Torah and was observed as a pilgrimage in ancient times – all Jews were to travel to the Temple in Jerusalem to offer a sacrifice. It is described in the Torah as a…
Read More »The First Step towards Planning a Wedding
Here’s a useful, basic article on planning a Jewish wedding. It covers finding an officiant, pre-marital counseling and picking the date. This would be the place to start very early on. Take a look at this outline and then give me a call so we can discuss the various rabbis, cantors, maggids and lay officiants…
Read More »Divvy up Holiday responsibilities
Do you have holidays that are ‘assigned’ to a particular family member or friend? That is, we’ll all be at Susan’s for Thanksgiving, at Mom’s for Chanukah and we’ll meet the Tanners in the park for our 4th of July picnic. Some years ago I figured out that while I have lots of wonderful…
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