Exhibit Closing Celebration Our beautiful photo exhibit, This Is Bay Area Jewry, is hanging in the social hall of Beth El in Berkeley. We are planning a closing celebration for the exhibit. Please join us for a reception with refreshments at 2pm. There will be a brief tour of the exhibit at 2:15 pm. At…
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This is Bay Area Jewry
This is Bay Area Jewry: Photo Essays on the Changing Nature of Our Community Beth El, Lehrhaus Judaica and Building Jewish Bridges present a photo essay exhibition showcasing the range of diversity in our community. The exhibition features 21 intimate portraits of individuals and families (including Beth El congregants, Renee Passy-Zale and Seidlitz-Smith family) from…
Read More »Jews of Color: Taking Charge of Your Jewish Identity
It is not unusual for a Jew of color to be asked, “How did you get to be Jewish?” Quite simply the question stems from their appearance, “You don’t look Jewish.” There are a number of ways that an adult from a biracial Jewish or interfaith family can arm themselves for these micro-aggressions. Join Kim…
Read More »Fall 2017 Building Jewish Bridges Programs
Fall 2017 Programs Sukkah Party for Interfaith Couples & Families Come to the Sukkah for some food and fun. Together we’ll make and hang sukkah decorations and everyone will get a chance to wave the lulav and etrog. We’ll make edible sukkahs that kids (and adults) can take home. Date: Sunday, October, 8 Time: 2…
Read More »Black Lives Matters & Yes, there are Black Jews
I had an ah-ha moment this week. I had attended a community meeting on the subject of responding to the violence against black people. We met at a black church. The event was organized by PICO, an organization that teaches faith-based community organizing. There were people of different faiths and races present. Afterwards there was…
Read More »4 Things that Make a Synagogue Uncomfortable for Me
In a conversation with a young person who is Asian and Jewish (yes, halachically Jewish, as in has a Jewish mother) I asked, “Are you comfortable in a synagogue?” The answer was, no, so I asked why. The answer: 1. I didn’t get much Jewish education so I don’t really know what’s going on…
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