In the two years since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, countless rituals have been reimagined and reinvigorated. This is true in the Jewish community, as many Foundation grant partners are creatively rethinking age-old rituals for a new era. Two grant partners in particular, OneTable and PJ Library, exemplify how the pandemic has shaped crucial rituals to fit modern times. This can take shape in many ways: from evaluating the food or activities at a holiday, to how and with whom you gather to commemorate.
OneTable engages young adults and empowers them to lead a Shabbat dinner for friends and acquaintances The work of connecting young adults to Judaism –- and each other—has been especially important through the isolation felt since 2020. A tech-savvy organization, OneTable has seamless engaged young adults on virtual and in-person platforms, for small groups or even individual experiences.
PJ Library — a program that supplies families with high-quality Jewish-themed content—highlights the many meaningful Jewish holidays, rituals and traditional foods that enrich the Jewish experience. Rather than providing formal educational experiences, PJ Library supports a theory that parents are their children’s primary Jewish educator.
Even within our own Foundation staff team, we are reimagining Jewish rituals by sharing not only information about each holiday, but in some cases, hands-on, experiential learning. As Purim approached in March, staff made Hamentashin (a traditional triangle shaped cookie). This opportunity gave our team a hands-on introduction to the holiday and its rituals.
Together, we model the example set by our partners to continue to reimagine Jewish experiences for continued learning and growth.
— Lisa Soble Siegmann, Program Partner
