Interfaith Community for Jewish-Christian mixed marriage families in New York that celebrates the distinctiveness of both traditions, providing religious services and education for adults and children. It does not aim to blur the traditions or to discourage affiliation with church or synagogue.

Boston: Holidays & Family Programs

• HOLIDAYS • ADULT PROGRAMS • CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS •CALENDAR •JOIN US

Yom Kippur Neilah Service and "Break Fast"
October 9, 2008 from 4-7
St. James's Church, 1991 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge

Members: free
Non-members: $40/families; $25/Couples & Individuals
RSVP

There are family services, geared for adults and school-age children. Services for Yom Kippur last approximately one hour. The very brief Neilah service, which concludes the holiday, is followed by a full "Break Fast." The shofar is blown in the Rosh Hashanah and the Ne'ilah services.

Advent/Hannukah Gathering/Party
Date, Time, and Location TBD

The Christmas service is designed and led by members of our Community to convey the essential and spiritual meaning of Advent and Christmas. It is geared for families with children ages 9 and up. For children 4-8, a parallel arts-based program - led by a Christian educator and a Jewish educator - will teach about Christmas and Hannukah, respectively. The main service is followed by a brief Hannukah celebration and a festive gathering (with latkes, dreidels, carols, and holiday treats).

Palm Sunday/ Passover Gathering
April 5, 2009, time and location TBD

The Interfaith Community will celebrate and Holy Week with a special service designed by members to help share the meaning of the season- the most sacred period in the Christian calendar- with Jewish partners and children. This service is geared toward families and children.

For Passover, a model seder will be held for children and families to learn about and celebrate the meaning and the rituals of this ancient tradition- dipping greens in salt water, recalling the ten plagues, inviting Elijah's return, and sharing matzah, the "bread of affliction." Following the commandment "You shall tell it to your children!" we will hear the founding story of Judaism - the story of the birth of a people and an evolved understanding of God. We look forward to a lively and enjoyable gathering of the Community for this event. In addition, Interfaith community member families share interfaith seders in members' homes.

Shavuot/Pentecost End-of-Year Gathering
June 28, 2009, Time and Location TBA

To mark the end of our year, the Community will gather for a picnic celebration. The date is chosen to coincide with the two closely related holidays of Pentecost and Shavuot (also referred to as Pentecost or Feast of Weeks) which are both typically fifty days after Easter and Passover, respectively. Pentecost evolved from Shavuot, which evolved from an ancient agricultural festival. Shavuot commemorates God's giving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai; Pentecost celebrates the manifestation of the Holy Spirit to the early Christians.

For more information, email interfaithcommunity.boston@gmail.com.