How sweet it was to gather together again! We had an epic Hamilton-inspired Purimspiel, games, crafts and schmoozing. Hamantaschen goodie bags are the best!

Purim is coming! Join us for our Purim Celebration outside behind the Bothwell Arts Center. We’ll have a Purimspiel, costume parade, crafts and hamantaschen to take home. Kids not required–fun for all. Masks are required for all attendees.

Date: 3/13/2022
Time: 10:30a.m. to 12:30pm

Email culturaljews@gmail.com or call 925-399-8029 for an Evite .

Women: more than just wombs with legs! Join us on Zoom on March 19th for a Havdalah in honor of Women’s History. Think of a woman who’s notable for more than her uterus. We’ll have a short Secular, Humanistic ceremony followed by a few rounds of 20 Questions where we’ll all try to guess your Woman of Note. Who knows what we’ll ask, so be prepared!

Day: March 19

Time: 7:00p.m.

Place: Zoom  

Cost:  Free to members, $10.00 suggested donation for non-members. Questions? Contact us at culturaljews@gmail.com or call 925-399-8029.

We joined our friends at the Eden Area Interfaith Council in February to contribute to the American Red Cross blood drive they hosted. Our team registered 37 total donors, collected 36 pints of blood, and recruited 9 first-time donors. Our efforts have helped boost the community blood supply and ensure hospital patients have the lifesaving blood they need.

We cWe covered so much ground in JCS! We talked about the migration of Jews from Eastern Europe to the U.S. and what it was like to go through Ellis Island. The Jews leaving Eastern Europe were looking for a safe place to live. We tied that into our upcoming celebration of Purim—our yearly holiday reminding us that tyrants have always existed and that there is always a need to speak truth to power. We made food that immigrants might have enjoyed—soft pretzels with optional yellow mustard (yum!)–and played some games their kids probably knew: hopscotch and Shimon Zogt (Simmon Says in Yiddish). 

We’re proud that the Secular Humanistic movement has always supported the right to bodily autonomy and that our rabbi has signed on to this effort.

We must not remain idle while barriers to health care place any individual’s health, well-being, autonomy, or economic security at risk. And rabbis can help lead the fight for reproductive health, rights, and justice by educating their communities.

Will you join us and take the pledge to speak about reproductive rights in your rabbinic capacity this year?
The pledge can be found here.

Tuesday, February 22
Nadya Dutchin, the new executive director of the American Humanist Association, details the relationship between humanism and social justice. Building on the rich legacy of the humanist movement, we ensure the next generation of humanists have a powerful, active network that demands policies to ensure that safety, dignity, justice, equality, and agency are equally accessible to all people.

RSVP Today!

Our Jewish Culture School students wanted to share this blurb from their 2/13/22 class:

Jews might have fought on both sides of the Civil War, but one thing remained the same: hardtack is pretty terrible! While most Jews did not support the South, we talked about how some Jews were able to justify slavery (hint: just because people did it in the Torah, doesn’t make it a good idea), baked some hardtack that really lived up to its name, and sang some freedom songs.

Dear Interfaith Friends,

You are invited to our next virtual
Interfaith Interconnect Religion Chat
Wednesday, March 9, via Zoom. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86485915504
Presentations: 5-6 p.m. Optional breakout discussion groups: 6-6:30 p.m.
We will present the 3rd program in our series,
“What holy books or other texts are important to your religion?” 

Speakers: Pastor John Bost,  Holy Cross Lutheran Church Livermore and Dr. Asad Tarsin, Muslim Community Center East Bay Pleasanton. 

Zoom room will open at 4:45.
All are welcome!
The series will conclude on April 13, so be sure to save that date too!

If you missed the February 9 Religion Chat with speakers Rev. Ellie Kilpatrick of Unitarian Universalist Church Livermore and Mr. Bruce Bird, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, here is the link to the recording. https://youtu.be/lDGJ3XcpGKw

We look forward to seeing you on March 9!
Ruth Gasten and Marcia Elchesen
Interfaith Interconnect Leadership Committee

The Issue: Justice Breyer is retiring from his lifetime appointment to the US Supreme Court, creating a new opening on the bench.  The Good News: We can make our voices heard to ensure President Biden nominates and the Senate confirms a qualified judge to our highest court.  Our Task: Tell your Senators to nominate a fair, independent, and qualified judge to the Supreme Court.  TAKE ACTION NOW The issue: Due to the global threat of increasing antisemitism, Congress updated the Global Anti-Semitism Review Act of 2004, elevating the role of the US Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism to the rank of Ambassador and granting authority to coordinate efforts across the entire federal government to combat antisemitism abroad.  The good news: President Biden nominated noted Holocaust scholar Deborah Lipstadt in August 2021 to fill this important role.  Our task: Sign the petition to urge the Senate to prioritize filling this position!  TAKE ACTION NOW