The 2023 Winter Solstice began at 7:27pm last night. No matter your religious tradition we all live on the same planet and those of us in the northern hemisphere have reached the darkest point of the year. For a few days the amount of daylight will remain the same and then, gradually, the minutes of…
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(Image: Beth Emek’s Hanukkah celebration from 2 years ago.) PLEASE Join me Monday evening, Dec. 4, for a discussion of making the most of Hanukkah – for kids, but also for adults! See details below and here. In this time of darkness – literal and metaphorical – it is up to us to bring light and comfort….
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Christmas is a humongous holiday and Hanukkah, juxtaposed to it, is relatively minor. Should we emphasize its minimal status? Should we pull out all the plugs and paint the house blue? What’s the best way to support a Jewish child who may or may not be celebrating Christmas? Join me, Dawn, on Monday evening, December…
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(Image: Cards made by participants at workshops) Did you know that crafts like knitting, cooking and gardening act on your brain very much like meditation? It transitions you to a state of calm and creative focus. It can be a sanity saver. Can we get crafty about Jewish holidays? There are a lot of people like me…
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(Photo: Entryway to Beth Sholom) Rabbi Amanda Russell of Congregation Beth Sholom in San Francisco wrote an email to her congregants. She acknowledged their fears. Then she offered a small simple teaching that all of us can do. Look for her suggestion of how to help at the end of her letter. (Thank you Rabbi…
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(Photo of Israeli hostages in Gaza) I continue to be stunned by the growth of anti-Semitism in America and the swell of hatred towards Israel. Many synagogues are offering healing services, but for the first time in my life I hesitate to mention events and addresses lest they fall into the hands of local terrorists….
Read More »Our weekly email goes out to hundreds of interfaith couples & families in the Bay Area. Topics cover the many questions and mysteries that interfaith couples want answered.