Sharing Inclusive Paths of Jewish Spiritual Exploration, Learning and Service
Shalom: the spirit of peace and completeness…within ourselves, our community and our world.
Collaborative: a commitment to open, respectful and compassionate sharing of diverse ideas, values and experiences.
We hope to create a community of seekers, students and friends, of a variety of religious backgrounds and practice, to explore and experience Reform Judaism’s liberal, accessible and inclusive spiritual values for our lives.
We do not aspire to organize a formal, institutional congregation, but rather, an alternative setting for our journeys – a primarily virtual online community that welcomes members from around the country and the world. We also look forward to creating opportunities for in- person gatherings in a variety of formats and places. For some of us, the Collaborative will be our primary spiritual venue- for others, its programs will be an enriching resource to complement membership in another congregation or religious community.
Our Jewish-themed book club gathers approximately every two months to discuss fiction and non-fiction alike that has some bearing on the Jewish experience. Everyone is welcome to attend, to suggest books, and to volunteer to lead discussions.
We have an exciting line up of Jewish-themed books to read this year including fiction and non-fiction. Mark your calendars now and enjoy reading at your leisure! More details about each book and reminders will be provided as each discussion date approaches. All book group meeting will be held on Zoom from 7:00-8:00 p.m. ET.
Our next meeting, on Wednesday, May 21st, Long Island Compromise by Taffy Brodesser-Akner. nspired by the true-crime kidnapping of Jack Teich from his driveway in Kings Point, Long Island, Taffy Brodesser-Akner (Fleishman is in Trouble) brings us an exhilarating novel about one American family and the dark moment that shatters their suburban paradise. Praised as a wickedly funny social satire, Long Island Compromise appears on many “Best of” lists for 2024 including NPR, The New York Times Review of Books and Oprah Daily.
Then we will read Goyhood. Tells the story of a devoutly Orthodox Jewish man who discovers in middle age that he’s not, in fact, Jewish, and embarks on a remarkable road trip to come to grips with his fate. The author, Reuven Fenton, will join us on Zoom on Wednesday, September 3 to talk with us about his book described as Chaim Potok’s The Chosen meets Planes, Trains and Automobiles. September 3rd 7-8pm
A big thank you to our discussion leaders!
All are welcome to attend, to suggest books and to volunteer to lead discussions. Invite a friend to join us!
Please RSVP to Judy Meritz at Judith.Meritz@gmail.com if you plan to attend.
Some of the books we have read to date are:
Uncomfortable Conversations with a Jew by Noah Tishby
To Be a Jew Today by Noah Feldman
A Trumpet in the Wadi by Sami Michael
Apeirogen by Colum McCann
The Matchmakers Gift
The Little Liar
The Button Man
The Plot Against America
The Last King of Shanghai
Israel — A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth
The Netanyahus
The Jew Store
The Hare with Amber Eyes
People Love Dead Jews
Family Papers, A Sephardic Journey through the 20th Century
Kaaterskill Falls
The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store
Goyhood
The Boy with the Star Tattoo
While Israel Slept
This group seeks to deepen their understanding of racism as it affects all of us, but particularly as it affects Black Americans today. We are currently learning about and discussing American history as it relates to the African American experience, using videos, articles and other resources as background to our discussions.
