I don’t like the way emotions make me feel! This classic teenage line was spoken by my own daughter during a teen *moment*. She knew what she was saying was silly but she also hated the roller coaster of emotion that teens are heir to. We all have feelings that we’d like to discard…
Read More »Growing Up Interfaith First Person Stories | Current Findings | Best Practices What is it like to grow up in an interfaith family? For the first time we are asking young adults, “What was that like for you?” At this program adults raised in interfaith families will talk about: Taking charge of their Jewish identity…
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In our 24/7 world, with constant electronic access there is little chance of powering down. I invite you to pause and reflect for a moment. Were there times in your childhood when you were out in nature, up a tree, by a lake, when you were completely out of touch with “the rest of the…
Read More »Growing Up Interfaith What would happen if instead of telling people what they feel, we asked them? That’s the novel idea behind this gathering. In a qualitative study, Dr. Bruce Phillips and Dawn Kepler asked young adults who had one Jewish and one non-Jewish parent about their experiences, feelings and choices. On May 22nd the…
Read More »I’ve been pleased and impressed by Rabbi Larry Milder‘s clear statements about acceptance within his synagogue, Beth Emek of Pleasanton. Here’s another good one that he sent to his congregation. Are You Gay? Lesbian? Transgender? We Welcome You! I am heterosexual. I expect my synagogue to be accepting of my gender identity. I was born…
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You may have heard me tell this story because it had a deep impact on me – years ago in a workshop a non-Jewish wife told me that she waited all year for Christmas. She described herself as “a pressure cooker waiting to let off steam.” She recounted her love of the rituals of…
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.