The Kitchen is one part shabbat + justice + torah community, one part San Francisco experiment and one part tool kit for jewish life at home. We’re doing old and holy things in new ways. We believe that Jewish religious practice can transform: It can change lives, make meaning, and invest people in the world. And we want to do everything we can to get you in on it.
Many people think Jewish practice is off limits if the God thing is, “so not me.” Not so fast. We think believing in “God” is not the first question you need to ask. Take love, for example. If you had to believe in “Love” in the abstract before loving anyone, you might never get there. We don’t think the question is, “Do I believe in God?”— We think it’s more like, “Do I want to do Jewish religious stuff?” If the answer is yes, we’re in business. Even if the answer is no, we still want you around. Call us crazy, but it would be no fun if everyone agreed all the time.
What if I’m not Jewish? (or) What if my girlfriend / boyfriend / partner / wife / husband / child / Aunt Susie isn’t Jewish?
Let’s not start by getting hung up on who is officially Jewish or not. All that really matters here is who wants to do Jewish or not. Put it this way: You could be a direct descendant of Moses, but if you aren’t interested in trying anything Jewish, the ride is pretty much over. By the same token, you can be Santa Claus himself, and if you decide to jump on the Jewish train, and are open to seeing where it takes you, then the ride has just begun.
Some people don’t like praying at all. If that’s you, we still want you in The Kitchen. Sit in the back, bring a book, think deep thoughts, have some scotch, whatever. Being in the room counts towards being a part of the community as far as we’re concerned. And, if you want to learn what all the fuss is about, talk to one of our Rabbis or our Educators. It’s those kinds of questions that seriously make their day.
1. Remember that learning to pray is like trying a new exercise: Not easy when you start. We still think it is worth it.
2. We pray in Hebrew because we think the Hebrew leads us places English cannot. But we also want to help people who are new, so we’ve put our services on the internet* and transliterate everything in our books. Let us know how we can help. *http://bit.ly/thekitchen_shabbat
3. Take heart: Lots of people who pray don’t only focus on the words but also the sounds of the words and tunes as a runway towards something holy.
4. Finally, start with this idea: “A prayer is the articulation of something very particular at the core of one’s being, flung out into the universe. Perhaps it finds a mark, perhaps not. The essential thing is the articulation and the flinging.” From our teacher, Merle Feld, in her book, A Spiritual Life
We’re so glad you asked. To build the Kitchen, people who love it (and there are lots of you out there) join. It’s as simple as that. Sadly, no one else is responsible for financing your Jewish experience. And while we’re lucky to have some start up help, it can’t (and probably shouldn’t) last forever. We know we’re building something meaningful. We can hardly believe how many of you have told us and how many have stepped up in such a short time. But the good news is that when we all do what we can, we can build something extraordinary, something that’s already lasted ten years of simchas. If you like what you’ve found and want it to stay, we invite you to become a part of The Kitchen.
Yes, you get unlimited access to our now infamous shabbats, first pick at those over-the-top feasts and holidays you’ve heard about, an opportunity to participate in our ground-breaking Freedom School, and a meaningfully modern approach to life cycle events from the cradle on up. But really, joining the Kitchen means upping your game and connecting with a community. If you’re ready to be counted in and counted on, this is for you.
What do you get? You get to help build something that matters.
