You may be thinking, it’s still ONLY JANUARY! Who the heck is thinking about summer camp for kids? The camps are! So they are sharing information about their programs. There are many sleep-away camps but there are also the synagogue camps right there in town. Read more about it here and then go call Maytal.
Thinking ahead to Summer Camp!
I want to share with you a fun example of a synagogue’s summer camp:
Camp KEnnect
Camp KEnnect out of Kol Emeth is for Rising K-7th Graders. It is all about making connections, whether it’s building friendships or connecting Jewish ideas and content with our Specialty classes, which include art, cooking, music, photography, sports and more! We are also launching a new Multimedia Story Production Specialty class for 6th-7th graders. Along with traditional camp activities like crafts, games, music and water play, our campers have the opportunity each day to deepen their understanding of Jewish traditions and values, as well as our Specialty classes.
All the dates, times and costs are here.
Then email Maytal Miller at maytal@kolemeth.org and ask any questions you have and you can sign up too.
Friday, January, 27th was Refugee Remembrance Day. Most of the Jews in this country are descended from refugees. It is important for us to remember that being stopped at a border can mean death – we know.
REFUGEE SHABBAT
You shall not wrong or oppress a stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.
Over 100 years ago in New York HIAS (originally the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) was established. Its mission was to assist Jews fleeing Eastern Europe. In the intervening years HIAS has grown to assist refugees all over the world.
For the last several years HIAS has hosted an annual Refugee Shabbat in which synagogues around the world host a Shabbat that teaches about refugees. The next one is scheduled for February 3 and 4. You can read about it on their website here. Not every synagogue is able to schedule their recognition of this important Jewish value on THIS date. Some shuls will be teaching and speaking about refugees on a different date. The best thing to do is to contact synagogues NEAR YOU and see which ones are hosting and what date they have chosen. Several shuls have told me that their Refugee service will be in March or even April.
Due to the danger of being a Jew or a refugee in these times, I ultimately decided NOT to post a list of the bay area Refugee Shabbat services. God willing, next year will be safer.
And on a lighter note, more activities!
EVENTS AROUND THE BAY
Grandparenting: Sharing Our Values (San Rafael)
Bagels and Babies (Foster City)
Shabbat Shmooze (San Rafael)
Beginner Israeli Folk Dance (Berkeley)
Repro Shabbat (San Mateo)
Young Family Shabbat (Palo Alto)
Grandparenting: Sharing Our Values with Our Jewish, Interfaith, and Multi-Heritage Families
with Dr. Ruth Nemzoff and Dr. Melanie Grossman
Calling all grandparents! Please join us for an illuminating two-hour workshop, as we learn from two very different grandparents: Dr. Ruth Nemzoff and Dr. Melanie Grossman will share their own respective traditions and values, offering unique perspectives on effectively grandparenting within their Jewish, interfaith, and multi-heritage families. Over the course of this workshop, there will be ample time to explore our own personal stories and styles of grandparenting. Please register below to attend this illuminating and informative discussion.
Date: Thursday, February 2
Time: 12:30pm – 2:30pm
Place: Osher Marin JCC, 200 N San Pedro Rd, San Rafael
In person and virtual. Register here
Co-hosted by Rodef Sholom, 200 North San Pedro Road, San Rafael
(Yes, they have the same address. They are located side by side.)
Bagels and Babies
Join Jewish Baby Network and Peninsula Sinai Congregation for a fun Friday morning with your little ones. We will provide a bagel breakfast and interactive activities for babies and grown-ups alike.
Date: Friday, February 3
Time: 9:30 – 11:00am
Place: Peninsula Sinai Congregation, 499 Boothbay Ave., Foster City
Please register here
https://peninsulasinai.org
Shabbat Shmooze
Missing seeing humans up-close? Join us for our next Shabbat Shmooze in the JCC Lobby. Sip wines & enjoy music from North Bay locals.
No sign up required! All are welcome! In-person!
Date: Friday, February 10
Time: 4pm
Place: The JCC Lobby, Osher Marin JCC, 200 N San Pedro Rd., San Rafael
https://www.marinjcc.org
Beginner Israeli Folk Dance
Come dance with us at the JCC!
Join us as we learn two or three of the old classic dances, shmooze, and enjoy moving our bodies during this cold winter. This class will be a trial run with the goal of eventually offering recurring dance classes of different kinds. Your feedback will be most welcome.
Date: Feb 7
Time: 11am to noon
Place: JCC East Bay 1414 Walnut Street Berkeley
Free, but please reserve your spot here
Repro Shabbat
Join Peninsula Temple Beth El and Jewish communities nationwide to observe a Shabbat dedicated to Reproductive Justice. Services will feature guest speaker Larisa Klebe, development director of Pro-Choice Missouri, the leading statewide grassroots pro-choice advocacy organization with a 52-year history of fighting for reproductive freedom. Larisa grew up at PTBE!
Date: Friday, February 17
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Place: Peninsula Temple Beth El, 1700 Alameda de las Pulgas, San Mateo
https://www.ptbe.org
Young Family Shabbat
Bring your kids to Young-Family Shabbat — a special, Saturday-morning service aimed at young children. Kids (and adults) of all ages are welcome. We’ll start out with songs and stories followed by a special Shabbat activity-time for children ages 2 – 10 away from the Beyt Knesset while adults enjoy an abbreviated Torah service. We’ll end with a potluck Oneg. We hope you can join us for this opportunity to renew connections to our children and our community.
Date: Saturday, February 25
Time: 10:15 am
Place: Etz Chayim, 4161 Alma, Palo Alto
https://www.etzchayim.org