Sunday, July 10, 2016

Just back from meeting Shira in San Francisco...

   



     We had a lovely ten days with Joel and Sarah and Shira:  present for her two week birthday and her three week birthday as well as her naming ceremony, the simchat bat.
      A lot of Sarah's family came up for that, and her parents rented an airbnb house that held them and a lot of celebrating and socializing.  Below are Phil & Jan Zakowski, Joel, Sarah, Shira, and me and Andy.   Happy happy grandparents!



     Joel and Sarah arranged the naming ceremony with a group they attend sometimes, the Mission Minyan, a lay-led group that uses an orthodox prayer service, but has the room divided up into men, women and mixed, and women have much of the leadership: carried the Torah around and everythng. A mostly-young congregation that is also traditional.
     But what I love is that they rent their space from La Casa de Mujeres/ Woman's House-- a beautifully muraled community center in San Francisco's Mission District, and the ceremony took place in -- get this-- the Audre Lorde room!  (For those young enough not to know, Audre Lorde was a great poet, activist, and lesbian feminist).  What more could we ask for Shira?  Her dad and mother's chosen tradition but also the women-owned community center plus Audre Lorde.
     It that cool or what?





1 comment:

Unknown said...

Good to know about this meeting and hope you had a successful one. I am searching for amazing Venues in San Francisco for arranging a private party. Came across some grand venues and planning to book the right venue for this event.