In May of this year Rabbi Sami Barth wrote a beautiful explanation of the Torah on abortion for his congregation. (Rabbi Barth was the transitional rabbi for Am Tikvah in San Francisco.) I have his permission to share his email with you. This is a subject with which our country is struggling. For those who…
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Last Friday I spent Shabbat with the folks at Jewish Gateways. A new friend who is a member there invited me. It was a potluck (my favorite!) so I took a loaf of homemade challah fresh from the oven. We met outside in a small private park in Oakland. Rabbi Bridget Wynne, their spiritual leader,…
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Journey to Judaism An Artful Exploration of Jewish concepts, people, and places Local artist, Beth Bourland, converted to Judaism in 2020. Because she is a watercolorist she chose to document her journey not through writing, but through painting. An award winning artist, Beth sought out visual Jewish elements that illuminated her learning. She visited the…
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(This is a letter from my Mixed and Matched column of May 14, 2015) I was raised Christian and had terrible experiences in my church, including abuse. I am still a spiritual person and want a faith community. I married a Jewish guy who is very low-key about religious practice but does belong to a…
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Do you know what is the LAST cultural practice immigrants give up? Their native cuisine. I remember learning that in a college history class. At the time I was living on a dorm floor that was about half Asian girls. ALL OF THEM, despite how long they or their families had been in the US…
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Summer is a great time to have fun with Jewish culture and dip your toes – and those of your loved ones – into all the variety of Jewish options. Socializing is a great way to give your non-Jewish family members a taste of Judaism. Here’s a great example. The Oshman Family JCC (Palo Alto…
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