Join us for our Fall Holiday Events!

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Celebrate the holidays in a Secular Humanistic way that that’s authentic both to Jewish culture and to your own beliefs.

Sunday, September 14: Decorate plates for apples and honey (ages 5-13) and learn aboutthe history and customs of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. 10 a.m. at Aran’s Art in Castro Valley. $15/plate for kid’s activity. Reservations requested so we will have enough materials.
W
ednesday, September 24: Rosh Hashanah celebrations. 7 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Livermore. One-hour program of music and readings. Kids welcome. Suggested donation $15/non-member adult.

Saturday, October 4: Yom Kippur observance. 2-5 p.m. at the Bothwell Arts Center in Livermore. Program of music and readings followed by guest speaker Amer Araim discussing the history and politics of the Middle East. A memorial ceremony follows the discussion. Suggested donation $15/non-member adult.

If you decide you belong with us and become a member, your donations will be applied to your membership fees.

For more information and reservations 925 485 1049 or reservations@tri-valleyculturaljews.org.

Atheism 2.0

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An interesting segment of this week’s TED Radio Hour on NPR. In this segment, Alain de Botton explains what he calls “Atheism 2.0”. It sounds quite similar to what TVCJ does. Click this link and then click on “Listen to the Story”.

http://www.npr.org/2013/11/22/245957052/what-can-atheism-learn-from-religion

 

Jewish Culture School Happenings – January 5, 2014

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Today at Jewish Culture School we continued our study of the Golden
Age of Spain by making Eggplant/Caper salad…it was a big hit! We
also made mosaics to represent the architecture of the time and
tested our knowledge of the smells and sights of a variety of spices
as the Jews were involved in the spice trade. Of course we sang and
listened to a ballad from the time period and talked about music in
Spain as well. We also shared ways that we filled our own buckets by
filling those of people around us. We started talking about how it
feels to help people we don’t know as well as our family members.

AJWS’s Global Justice Rabbinic Fellowship

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TVCJ joins the American Jewish World Service in urging you to get involved in a movement here in the U.S. that aims to end violence against women and girls, stop hate crimes against LGBT people, and hasten the end of child marriage around the globe.

Join @AJWS for a celebration of #Chanukah and the launch of its new campaign promoting the rights of women, girls and LGBT people worldwide on December 9 from 7-9PM at Brick and Mortar Music Hall in San Francisco!
Space is limited, so reserve your space today!

http://bit.ly/1c6ONlt

Jewish, but not religious? So are we! Join us at our Fall Holiday observances and introductory brunch!

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Rosh Hashanah:  Wednesday evening, Sept. 4 at 7:00 p.m.  Program of music and readings in English followed by traditional apples & honey.  Child-friendly.  Suggested donation is $10 per adult for those who are not members of TVCJ.  (No charge for children.)  We are also collecting canned or boxed food for the food bank.

What’s a Secular Jew?  Sunday morning, Sept. 8 at 10:30 a.m.  Bagel brunch and introduction to Secular Jewish life and Jewish Culture School.   Are you uncomfortable in synagogue, but in your element at the deli, Mel Brooks movies and noisy political discussions?  Are you looking for a community where you fit in?  A way for your kids to learn about being Jewish without the demands of religious belief?     learn about the history and practices of Secular Jews, hear about Jewish Culture School for children and meet members of the organization.  There will be activities for children while the parents meet.  Please let us know you’re coming, so we can make sure we have plenty of food!

Yom Kippur:  Saturday, Sept. 14 from 2 – 5 p.m. (and we’ll go out for dinner together afterwards).The program consists of non-religious readings in English and music, followed by participatory workshops and a non-religious memorial ceremony.  Suggested donation is  $10 per adult for those who are not members of TVCJ.  (No charge for children.) There will also be an opportunity to make charitable contributions to various international, national and local agencies. We’re also collecting canned and boxed goods for the food bank.

Sukkah raising brunch!  Sunday, Sept. 22 at 1817 Sinclair Drive in Pleasanton.  Potluck brunch.  Bring a dish to share, a fruit or other decoration to hang in the sukkah and a branch for the roof (if you have one). Also collecting canned and boxed goods for food bank.

Holiday programs and informational meeting are held at the Bothwell Arts Center. 2466 8th St. in Livermore.  Please let us know you are coming.  Call us at 925 485 1049 or email reservations@Tri-ValleyCulturalJews.org.