Community Activities

2017 – Bring it ON!

Here we go – 2017! Our world has been shaken. I, for one, was stunned by the election results. The majority of my family and friends are in categories that feel increasingly unsafe. As a woman I have been subject to sexual harassment and as a Jew I have been told I wasn’t welcome (yes,…

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Healing After the Election

  The rabbis of Peninsula Temple Beth El sent out this email to their community. Dear PTBE Community, This morning the sun rose just as it did yesterday and as it will tomorrow, but for most of us it doesn’t feel the same. Today greets our nation with feelings of unprecedented division. For some elation…

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Raising a confident child

  A wonderful couple I know have five grown children who are interracial and intercultural. The Chinese mom converted before marriage and is now trained as a mohel. The couple raised their children Jewish and Chinese. Yup, they got asked questions like, “Are you adopted?” “Is your mother Jewish?” “How come you’re in a synagogue;…

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Tu B’Av, A good time to express love

(Photo via Israeli PikiWiki, some rights reserved) This week I had the following communication: Delightful woman: Hi Dawn, I receive your newsletter and am wondering what is the best way to honor my (Jewish) daughter-in-law on Tu B’Av? Me: What a lovely idea you have! Tu B’Av is “observed” to the extend that is it…

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