Synagogue Archives

How I Ended Up as a Brooklyn Tour Guide for a Day

On August 3 my Uncle Jeff, my father’s brother, turned 90 years old. I received a call from my cousin in Canada,...

Family, Growing Up Interfaith, Religion, Religious Education, Synagogue

Why These 5 Myths about Interfaith Families are Limiting Our Community

There’s a saying attributed to the French philosopher La Rochefoucauld. “The more things change, the more...

Family, Love and Marriage, Officiation, Religion, Synagogue

Synagogues and the Jewish Community

You’re in an interfaith relationship and considering joining a synagogue, but you’re not sure...

Synagogue

Is the Jewish Community a Mean Girl?

“The organized Jewish community is nothing more than the mean girls from high school.” What?! I think I literally...

Identity, Religion, Religious Life, Spirituality, Synagogue

Communication: Talking to Your Partner and Your Families

When planning a wedding, communication is key. You’ll be communicating with one or more of the following: clergy...

Religious Life, Resources, Synagogue

Resolutions Your Synagogue Can Make This Rosh Hashanah

Just like the approach of the secular new year, the approach of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, is...

Clergy, Professional Development, Synagogue

How We Met…Our Baby

We each have our own story about when we saw, held or heard our children for the first time and we all arrived...

Family, Religion, Religious Education, Synagogue

Finding Shabbat When It Feels Like Shabbat is Nowhere to be Found

In a class I teach to engaged and recently married young couples, I talk about the importance of finding time...

Blessings, Religion, Religious Life, Synagogue

Our Gay, Interfaith Family’s Surprising Synagogue-Shopping Experience

By Liat Katz “A Y A M,” She writes. “Um, Maya, I think you wrote your name backwards,” I respond. “Nope, it’s...

LGBTQ, Parenting, Parenting Stories, Religion, Religious Education, Synagogue

Things Toddlers Say At Services

With the drama of the High Holidays receding into the past, I find myself thinking about the charms and challenges...

Parenting, Parenting Stories, Synagogue, Young Kids

Can Kids (or Anyone) Learn Prayer Through Osmosis?

Osmosis is a subtle or gradual absorption or mingling. Sometimes we joke that you can’t learn something...

Parenting, Synagogue

Judaism Without Walls

Jared and his (now) wife Laurie being married by Rabbi Lev Baesh on Laurie’s parents’ farm in Pennsylvania Why...

Dating, Identity, Relationships, Religion, Synagogue

Why We Decided to Join a Synagogue for Our Daughter

1387 November 12, 2015 Mirabelle at JCC pre-school This past August, when I started talking about and...

Parenting, Religious Life, Synagogue

Greeting Each Other at Shabbat Services

1297 July 22, 2015 An Interfaith-Inclusive Reading for Clergy to Welcome a Congregation on Shabbat Welcome...

Professionals, Religious Life, Shabbat, Synagogue

Her Tune, Her Way: Reflections on our First Year of Sunday School

Driving home from school the other day, Ruthie began singing “Ma Tovu” to herself in the back seat. She repeated...

Parenting, Religion, Religious Education, Synagogue

Where is Your 3rd Space?

I spend a lot of time at Starbucks. All different Starbucks locations. Lately, I have been seeing signs about...

Family, Religion, Religious Education, Synagogue

Who Gets to Criticize Your Religion?

I remember the day I introduced our kids to The Prince of Egypt. I loved this movie, and I was excited to...

Blessings, Religion, Religious Life, Spirituality, Synagogue

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Last year, in the “Community Voices” section of my local paper there was a column written by a woman about the...

Synagogue

Judaism and Shabbat: Discover and Return

You may have heard about a new program that we are starting up at InterfaithFamily/Bay Area called Meet Us at...

Religion, Shabbat, Shabbat Rituals, Synagogue

What is Your Synagogue’s Policy on Who Can Be a Member?

1297 February 4, 2015 The national InterfaithFamily/Your Community staff and the directors of the InterfaithFamily/Your...

Synagogue

Say Yes to Interfaith Families

As the partner who is not Jewish, raising a Jewish family in the Chicago area, I have often felt like a guest...

Religious Life, Synagogue

Time to Junk Jewish Jargon?

You’re at a social or family gathering when someone starts throwing around a bunch of Jewish gobblygook you...

Identity, Religion & Spirituality, Synagogue

The Temple Where I “Grew Up”

The other day I saw a rabbi I know post a YouTube link to one of my favorite versions of the prayer, Hashkiveinu....

Blessings, Religion, Synagogue

What is Your Synagogue’s Policy on Opening the Ark?

1297 October 15, 2014 18Doors staff worked together to gather information about the ritual policies of...

Religious Life, Synagogue

Synagogue

Stay in the know.