החגים בפתח, וחלקנו שלא בהכרח דקדקנו במנהגי החג, מוצאים עצמנו יותר מבעבר שוקלים את הדרך לחגוג כך שילדינו ואפילו אנחנו, נחווה גם קצת מן המסורת. שאלות של זהות וערכים, וכחלק מכך הרצון לקדם תחושה של ייחוד וחגיגיות, הכרות עם מנהגי החג וספורי החגים ועל קצה המזלג קצת ממה שילדים בישראל מקבלים לקראת החגים במערכת החינוך ובאווירה שמסביב - כל אלה באים לידי ביטוי באופנים שונים:
ארוחות חג, פעילויות ודברי הסבר לילדים, וגם השתלבות באחת מתוך עשרות הקהילות של בתי הכנסת באזור, המשמשות הרבה יותר מאשר בית כנסת במובן אותו הכרנו בישראל.
מגוון האפשרויות לאופיו של בית הכנסת גדול, וכל אחד יכול להתחבר למה שמתאים לו מבין הזרמים השונים, אשר העיקריים שבהם הם האורתודוכסים, הקונסרבטיבים והרפורמים.
ה - congregations, קהילות בתי הכנסת, משמשות כאן כמעין מרכז קהילתי יהודי, הנותן מענה לקשת רחבה של צרכי הבית היהודי באזור, בהקשרים של דת ומסורת, אך גם חינוך, תרבות, פנאי והעשרה.
בניגוד לישראל, בה קהילות בתי הכנסת ממומנות גם על ידי המועצות הדתיות וגורמים רשמיים אחרים, כאן מבוססת פעילות הקהילה על השתתפות כספית של חבריה. הפעילות ענפה ומגוונת בדרך כלל, ומשמשת כבית יהודי לחברים הקבועים ולאלה המשתתפים בפעילות על בסיס חלקי (בחגים או בארועים כמו ברית, בר מצווה למשל). דמי החברות הקבועים, או התרומה המתבקשת מהמשתתפים, נדרשים על מנת לאפשר את הפעילות הזו.
פעילות הקהילות השונות כוללת במקרים רבים, פעילות המותאמת לילדים בגילאים שונים.
לנוחיותכם, צרפנו רשימה מרוכזת של הקהילות באזור עם פרטי הקשר אליהם לרבות אתרי האינטרנט שלהם, אם קיימים, על מנת שתוכלו לבחור, אם תרצו, את המסגרת המתאימה לכם בכתובת http://www.ba-inyanim.com/family-and-leisure/congregations/
כמו כן, פנינו לקהילות השונות בבקשה לקבל מידע ספציפי לגבי החגים הקרובים ולהלן ריכוז התשובות שקיבלנו:
Name of Congregation: Keddem Congregation, Reconstructionist
Address: P.O. Box 50758, Palo Alto, CA 94303
Keddem Congregation is a community-led, Reconstructionist Jewish congregation, passionately committed to infusing tradition with new meaning. Worship, study, community and governance at Keddem are based on the following principles: Keddem is inclusive, egalitarian, participatory and questioning. Open to the public for the High Holidays services.Children are welcome to services and there are special activities for kids during services: During Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur: children’s services for pre-readers and junior congregation services for older children. Also, Children’s Jonah and the Whale presentation. Reservations are needed. Information about membership and donation: Recommended dues is $660/individual member, but members are encouraged to pay what they decide they can afford. The congregation accepts members’ statements without checking income. Recommended donation for High Holiday services is one percent of income, but, again, attendees are encouraged to donate as little or as much as they can afford
Name of Congregation: Beth Am, Reform
Address: 26790 Arastradero Road, Los Altos Hills, CA, 94022
Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur Services are held at the Flint Center, on De Anza College campus, in Cupertino
Open to the public for the High Holidays services for 250$ per ticket. . Children are welcome to services and there are special activities for kids during services, see Beth Am website at www.betham.org. Reservations are needed. Information about membership and donation are specified in the website
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Name of Congregation: Chabad of Greater South Bay
Address: 3070 Louis Road, Palo Alto, CA 94303
We are welcoming to all Jews, without regard to personal observance.
We are open to the public for the High Holidays services, Children welcome to services and we have kids program during services. Reservations are not needed
Services open to all. No Tickets. Suggested donation of $180 per person. Contact number /person for further information: Rabbi Yosef Levin 650 424 9800
Name of Congregation: Am Echad Community, Torah Orthodox
Address: 1504 Meridian Avenue, San Jose, CA 95125
We host Shabbes guests. We are your home away from home.
We are open to the public for the High Holidays services, children welcome to services. No reservations are needed.
We greatly appreciate donations. Our only other funding is membership. We welcome all Jews who live in the area to come and experience our community for a year and, if you like it and you stay, commit to membership and take the responsibilities of membership to heart
Contact number /person for further information: Michael Lerner, amechad@amechad.org and mkl@pobox.com , 408-267-2591
Name of Congregation: Mission Minyan
Address:: 3543 18th St #8, San Francisco, CA 94110
The Mission Minyan is a group of young Jews who get together on a regular basis for spirited traditional davening (and related festivities) in San Francisco’s Mission District.
We are ppen to the public for the High Holidays services, Children welcome to services. Reservations are needed only on high holidays. There is no membership. Donations are gladly accepted
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Name of Congregation: Congregation Kol Emeth, Conservative
Address: 4175 Manuela Ave. Palo Alto, CA 94306
We are a warm & family oriented congregation. Most of our service is in Hebrew. Please come to services and check us out.
Open to the public for the High Holidays services , but you need to arrange for tickets for reasons of security. We do ask for a donation but are flexible. We will not turn anyone away for lack of funds.
Children are welcome to services. We do have children’s services and babysitting but places must be reserved. There is no drop in. Reservations are needed. We have an introductory membership which includes high holiday services for $275 for singles and $550 for families. Introductory memberships expire on June 30th. Contact number /person for further information: 650-948-7498 or office@kolemeth.org
Name of Congregation: Congregation Emek Beracha, Modern Orthodox
Address: 4102 El Camino Real (edge of Barron Park, corner of Vista St., near Los Robles)
Palo Alto, CA 94306
Within the diverse Jewish environment of Silicon Valley, our congregation provides a traditional Orthodox Jewish experience, where Jews from across the spectrum can feel welcome in a warm community. Our congregation is the closest you’ll find in Palo Alto to the neighborhood Batei Knesset in Israel - all prayers are in Hebrew. We offer Ashkenazi nusach with occasional Sephardi Torah/Haftara reading nusach, and a kahal comprising both Askenazi and Sephardi members. We also offer a separate additional Sephardi Shabbat morning service once per month and on High Holidays.
People of all backgrounds and levels of observance are welcome; The congregation sponsors a community Kiddush on Shabbat morning. There is home hospitality for meals on Shabbat and holidays -call 650-857-1800 or send .hospitality@emekberacha.org
We offer a variety of learning opportunities and fun social events, Shabbat morning educational childcare is provided, There are holiday events for children, adults and families, The community offers its support in times of need (mourning, births, illness, etc.)
We are open to the public for the High Holidays services, Children are welcome to services and there are special activities for kids during services (Babysitting during holiday services (Educational childcare during Shabbat morning services)
Reservations for high holidays are recommended but one can come to holiday services without reservations.
Donation for holiday services is according to ability and choice,
Annual Dues - Negotiable based on ability,
Standard amounts: Family - $2,000, Single - $1,100, Retired family - $800, Single student - $500
http://emekberacha.org/index.php
