Purpose, Goals, and Content

The purpose of these gatherings is to create a safe space for those living in Jewish households to connect around some of the challenges of being Jewish and American today. The goal is to give people a place to share, discuss, and process their thoughts and feelings related to Israel and the recent election in America with others who have shared experience.

Though we recognize a parallel need for dialogue with those who hold varying perspectives, that is not the purpose of this group. Instead, this group is designed to be a haven for those who have not yet found spaces where others share their ideology, concerns, needs, and experiences.

In order to create this safe space we are going to ask folks to share their perspectives on the situation in Israel and the American election through our registration form. We do this to ensure that those entering the space are surrounded by others who broadly share their ideology and lived experiences. If needed, we will consider hosting multiple groups in order to create the varying spaces folks may need to process in a safe environment.

These gatherings will be co-faciliated in a way that invites folks to share personal experiences, discuss current events, and process in a group setting. Please know that these are not formal group therapy sessions and though our facilitators are trained professionals, this space is not intended to be anything other than a safe space gathering.

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Structure

These gatherings will take place on most Sunday evenings over Zoom from 7:00-8:00 pm.  Though we encourage folks to attend regularly, we recognize that schedules are busy and so we open these gatherings to folks individually, and ask you to register for each gathering as you are able to attend.

Though there is no direct fee for attending these gatherings, we do ask folks to make a donation in any amount to support the work that goes into this initiative. A link to donate is part of the registration form.

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About our Facilitators

Rabbi Jill Avrin is the rabbi of YourJewish. She received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Minnesota in Jewish Studies and Anthropology and was ordained by HUC-JIR in 2013, also receiving her Masters in Hebrew Letters and her Masters in Religious Education from HUC.

Dr. Zoe Green, PsyD, is a dedicated Post-Doctoral Fellow with a comprehensive background in clinical psychology. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and completed her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Augsburg University.