Category: Holidays

Tri-Valley Cultural Jews Virtual Tu B’Shvat

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Tu B’Shvat has become a “Jewish Earth Day” when we focus on the environment. This year will be a virtual Tu B’Shvat event on Zoom. We will be have Leah Morrison speak to us about her journey making a zero-waste household, and give us tips. In addition, we will have a short Tu B’Shvat seder. On Tu B’Shvat it is traditional to eat 7 foods native to Israel, so we invite you to make a dish that incorporates one or more of the following: olives, grapes(raisins), figs, dates, citrus, almonds, and carob. Please share with us what you make at the event, and we will collect recipes to distribute. Look for the evite or email culturaljews@gmail.com for the Zoom code.

When: January 24, 10:30 – 12:00
Cost: Free to members. $10 suggested donation per non-member adult

Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur

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by Scott Pepper

Growing up in a conversative Jewish household, I came to dread the High Holidays. Yom Kippur meant hour upon hour of services in impenetrable Hebrew standing in an uncomfortable suit, hunger gnawing all the while. Rosh Hashanah was only better in the sense that there was no fasting, but then stretched across two days rather than one. I had little care for the significance of the days, and even the fact that it usually meant missing a few days of school was little consolation when measured against the discomfort and boredom. In discussions with others who were raised in conservative or traditional Judaism, I learned that I was not alone in this opinion.

As an adult, I have a greater appreciation for the meaning behind these days, but little interest in subjecting myself or my own children to what I mostly remember as torment.

However, the High Holidays as celebrated by Tri-Valley Cultural Jews bear little resemblance to my prior experience. The focus is on the meaning of the days, but expressed in contemporary terms that are both more relatable to secular Jews of all ages and surprisingly enjoyable. The key rituals remain — the blowing of the shofar, Tashlich, the round challah — but they are framed in a modern and meaningful way.

So today, rather than dreading the High Holidays, I find myself looking forward to them, more fully able to appreciate their significance and the opportunity to celebrate with the TVCJ community.

Virtual Rosh Hashanah

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Please join us virtually for a Secular, Humanistic Rosh Hashanah observance as we start our fall holiday season. Tashlich will be included in the observance as the ritual of shedding the misdeeds of the last year.

The event will be on Saturday, September 19th from 4-5.

Children are welcome though it will not be child-centered. If you’d like to make a challah to eat during the observance make it sweet for the new year by adding a quarter cup of melted butter, 2 T sugar and about a cup of raisins during kneading.

Please put on your calendar our Yom Kippur observance, Kol Nidre that will take place September 27th 6-7pm.

Members are welcome to attend free of charge. Non-adult members- we ask a suggested donation of $10, if you are able. This year after operating costs are covered, we will send to donations to the First Nations Development Institute to help with Coronavirus relief. We will have other opportunities during the observance for all to donate as well.

If you have any questions please contact us at culturaljews@gmail.com and we will send you the link to the evite for the zoom event.

Tri-Valley Cultural Jews Virtual Shavuot Celebration

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We can’t be together in person, but we can be together online. 

This is traditionally a holiday about books and learning. So we traditionally come together and share our favorite book we read this past year. (Adults and kids are welcome to share)

This year we will also be hosting a guest speaker, Rabbi Denise Handlarski, a Humanist Rabbi who wrote the A-Z of Intermarriage. She will be talking a little about her new book and we will have a short Q&A before we share our books.

Date: Sunday, May 31st, 2020
Time: 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Place: The TVCJ annual Shavuot celebration will be held virtually using the Zoom video-conferencing service. Everyone will participate in the comfort of their own home.
Cost: FREE

Reservations are required.  To make a reservation please Click Here. 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.  Once you receive your confirmation, then please add the zoom meeting link to your calendar.

Tri-Valley Cultural Jews Virtual Lag B’Omer

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We can’t be together in person, but we can be together online.

During this event we will talk about the Lag B’Omer holiday, replace our traditional watermelon toss with an online game, and eat together.

Date: Sunday, May 17th, 2020
Time: 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Place:  This year the TVCJ annual Lag B’Omer celebration will be held virtually using the Zoom video-conferencing service. Everyone will participate in the comfort of their own home.
Cost: FREE

Reservations are required.  To make a reservation please click this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwpd–urjkjEtC7rj8E5bz5Y5y84jVS4P7_

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.  Once you receive your confirmation, then please add the zoom meeting link to your calendar.

Tri-Valley Cultural Jews Virtual Community Passover Seder

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seder

We can’t be together in person, but we can be together online.

This year the TVCJ annual community Seder will be held virtually on Saturday, April 11, 2020 at 5 p.m using the Zoom video-conferencing service. Everyone will participate in the comfort of their own home.

Our secular Seder includes English-language readings highlighting the power of community and the value of freedom, and songs in English, Yiddish and Hebrew. The hour-long ceremony is followed by optional schmoozing time while your family eats the dinner that you’ve prepared in your home. The event is family-friendly.

Other than what you spend on food for your family’s seder, there is no cost to attend this event. We will provide a shopping list for your seder plate, suggested recipes, and the Passover Haggadah.

RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED:
To make a reservation please go to https://bit.ly/tvcjseder. The event is limited to no more than 100 reservations.