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 October 1, 2024 – Noa Tishby, “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Jew” led by Judy Meritz 7-8 pm
November 13, 2024: Apeirogen by Colum McCann, discussion led by Joe Schlam
January 15, 2025: A Trumpet in the Wadi by Sami Michael, discussion led by Marilyn Levitt
March 19, 2025: To Be a Jew Today by Noah Feldman, discussion led by Todd Katzman
May 14, 2025: Displaced Persons by Joan Leegant, discussion led by Barbara Roberts
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:
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
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.
