October 2006
Regional News
North Bay

Congregation Shomrei Torah, a reform temple in Santa Rosa, is launching a new program designed to interest unaffiliated interfaith families in getting involved with Jewish life.

Sue Smith, executive director, explains that the program – Pathways to Jewish Life and Community – will reach out to individuals with a natural curiosity about the congregation and Judaism in general to “stick a toe in.”  Some 60 percent of Jewishly-identified families in Sonoma County are interfaith, Smith notes, which means there are large numbers of families to be served by the program. The figures come from the Jewish Community Study, a survey of Bay Area Jewish families, completed by the San Francisco-based Jewish Community Federation three years ago. 

The new interfaith outreach program is in the final planning phase, with the full roll out expected on April 1, 2007 when the congregation moves into its new home. Congregation Shomrei Torah was founded in 1974 by a group of 11 Sonoma County families; today it has grown to 375 families. In the last few years, the congregation has shared space with Christ Church United Methodist Church.
Among the anticipated features of the new program are a series of workshops, including “demystifying” classes on Jewish holidays, the synagogue and prayers and services; workshops investigating whether to raise children Jewishly; and social action projects. In addition, through Share Shabbat, interfaith families who are not members of the congregation will be linked with members to share a Shabbat meal in the latter’s home.

Contact Sue Smith for information on Congregation Shomrei Torah or Pathways to Jewish Life and Community.

shomrei@shomreitorah.org
707-578-5519
www.shomreitorah.org

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