Latest Weekly Update:
Stephen Newmark
Why We Chose Kadima
After our daughter was born, we wanted to find a comfortable Jewish community for our family. I was raised in New Jersey as Orthodox, but after my bar mitzvah I rarely, if ever, went to synagogue.
My wife converted to Judaism after we went through a Living the Jewish Year program at a Conservative Synagogue. It was a great program but we aren’t observant and didn’t feel at home at that synagogue. We still wanted to provide a Jewish education for our daughter, to give her exposure to rituals and heritage, belonging to the Jewish community, ethical richness, and a sense of social responsibility—to us the critical parts of a Jewish education. At the same time, we both work outside the home and our lives are very busy. We wanted a community where we could be involved, and yet not overextend ourselves.
We found Kadima about 8 years ago.
For us, Kadima is a wonderful place for our two kids and us. Our daughter is now 12 and our son is 9. We are looking forward to our daughter’s bat mitzvah – her transition to adulthood as she gains some special insights into her responsibilities and rewards as part of her Jewish community.
Our kids attend the bi-monthly Sunday school and weekly Hebrew classes and I like the Sunday morning adult programs. The school passes on a very heartfelt Judaism that teaches our traditions and beliefs in a way that my kids can relate to. And it’s often fun.
We now frequently light Shabbat candles on Friday night as a family and though we both feel we are spiritual, my wife and I are not big on organized praying. We really enjoy the social action (Tikkun Olam and Acts of Loving Kindness), community events, and family focus of Kadima.
Stephen Newmark works as an Instructional Designer and is also an eclectic reader and kid chauffeur. Lisa works as Customer Service Manager focusing on web business. She is an avid hiker and is now taking a glacier climbing course through OSAT. Their two children are 12 and 9. Their dog Roxy just turned 1.