Young Families

Families with young children are an important part of our community. By providing family-oriented holiday programs throughout the year, Emeth helps parents introduce their children to the richness of our Jewish heritage and demonstrates how the Jewish community celebrates holidays.

We often have events in preparation for the upcoming holidays such as storytime, crafts, and snacks hosted by the congregation at BookSmart.

High Holy Days

All children are welcome to all of our High Holy Day services. We have a special Family service on Erev Rosh Hashanah, Tashlich on Rosh Hashanah afternoon, and all are encouraged to hear the final shofar blast at the end of Yom Kippur.

Sukkot 

Members of Emeth, assisted by Jewish Studies students, build and decorate a sukkah behind the synagogue before Sukkot. They also set up tables inside the sukkah so that members can dine there during the eight-day festival. On the Friday night during Sukkot, Emeth members enjoy a community dinner in the sukkah. Our rabbi explains the festival and leads members in celebration.

Simchat Torah

Simchat Torah, which immediately follows Sukkot, celebrates the end of the annual cycle of Torah readings and the start of a new cycle. At Emeth, the Torahs are removed from the ark and congregants dance around the room and sing with the Torahs. Then, either one scroll is completely unrolled in front of everyone who attends the service or two scrolls are opened to show the end and beginning of the Torah.  Afterwards, the scrolls are rolled back and returned to the ark.

Chanukah

During Chanukah, Congregation Emeth celebrates in the social hall, sanctuary, and on our front steps. Families often share a dinner in the social hall on the Friday night during Chanukah. Afterward, everyone brings their chanukiah to the front of the sanctuary and lights the candles. On another night during the eight-day holiday, Congregation Emeth holds a community celebration with a candle lighting ceremony in front of the synagogue. 

Tu BiShvat

Tu BiShvat, the holiday celebrating the birth of the trees, observed in different ways at Congregation Emeth. It may be a family hike---enjoying trees. There may be an Oneg Shabbat focused on fruit of the trees. 

Purim

All families are part of our Purim celebrations here at the synagogue starting with a Purim Shabbat dinner followed by a joyous service with Purim spiel (story). Costumes are encouraged and hamentashen are enjoyed. We invited children of all ages (through adults) to make some noise with groggers (noisemakers) at the service and with bowling pins at our annual Purim bowling event.

Pesach (Passover)

One of Congregation Emeth's most popular events for families is the traditional community Seder, held on the second night of Passover.

Shabbat Family Services

Once a month, Congregation Emeth holds Family Services as part of the Religious School curriculum. This informal Erev Shabbat service provides students with the opportunity to learn the meaning of the prayers and discuss the Torah portion of the week. The service is led by Rabbi Dantowitz and is appropriate for children of all ages as well as for adults.

Shabbat in the Redwoods

Every summer, Congregation Emeth heads to Mt. Madonna County Park for an annual "Shabbat in the Redwoods." The park, dominated by a redwood forest, lies to the west of Gilroy in the Santa Cruz Mountain range. This event typically features a morning service, tree exploration, a picnic lunch, and family hike in the Redwoods. Families are also invited to reserve a campsite the night before and welcome Shabbat together in the Redwoods.

PJ Library Program

In addition to holding family-oriented holiday programs and Shabbat services, Congregation Emeth participates in the PJ Library program sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley. The program assists young Jewish families in developing a positive Jewish identity and connection with their local Jewish community. Children enrolled in the PJ Library program receive monthly mailings of free Jewish children's books and CDs. Go to PJ Library for more information.

PJ Library’s educators and experts curate the best Jewish books to match each developmental stage of a child’s journey from infancy to independent reader. In North America, these experts select an age-appropriate board book, picture book, or early chapter book every month for kids ages 0 to 8. Older readers ages 9 to 12 get to choose their own middle-grade book each month from a selection of fiction, nonfiction, and graphic novels.  Go to PJ Library for more information or Sign Up for PJ Library here.

Please check Congregation Emeth's online calendar  for the dates of upcoming family-oriented programs.