Dear Dawn: My dad is my Jewish parent and I was raised Reform. Being a “patrilineal Jew” was never discussed in my shul. My dad did tell me more traditional Jews wouldn’t accept me as Jewish, but honestly he seems more angry than helpful. In college I learned more about my status as I was…
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Kids & Family
Parenting
Another Covid summer, a whole new set of parenting questions
It’s a hopeful, confusing time to be a parent during a pandemic. On one hand, the vaccine rollout is picking up pace and public health experts have given…
Kids & Family
Local ‘magical,’ inclusive parks inspired by one in Israel
Yonaton Naveh is a longtime user of the Magical Bridge Playground in Palo Alto’s Mitchell Park. His mother, Yael, has taken him there regularly since it…
Film
New JFI fellowship for teens into films and changing the world
Teenagers who love movies — and abhor injustice — can take part in a new program created by the S.F.-based Jewish Film Institute. The JFI Social Change…
First Person
Childhood illness and tikkun olam at Family House
Over a decade ago, I was on hiatus from my longtime role with the Jewish Community Federation and wanted to learn more about photography, a practice I…
Parenting
Is my birthday boy getting too used to being isolated?
My youngest son is turning 5 next month, and he’s never had a birthday party. For a long time, this was sort of a running joke about neglected second…
The Matzo Chronicles
An unexpected email brings joy. I’ve got mishpocha!
It’s been a tough couple of months. Politics and pandemic have taken their toll on me. Like many people, I have lost loved ones this year. And almost a…
Mixed & Matched
Can my baby have an Orthodox conversion?
Dear Dawn: I was raised Reform, but am now a nonpracticing Jew married to a non-Jewish woman. We were married by my Reform rabbi and are expecting a baby.…
Parenting
A talk with my dad, screenwriter of ‘My Name Is Sara’
In this column, I usually write about my kids and my experiences as a parent, but this month I decided to interview my own father, David Himmelstein. He’s…