Chai Baby: Building a community

In early 2007, Chai Baby played matchmaker and introduced my young family to three other Jewish families with babies of the same age. Today, we meet each month for a Sunday morning play date with our now nearly three-year-olds, rotating through each other’s homes. Our group has celebrated several Jewish holidays together, shared parenting joys and woes, welcomed new babies and grown to include additional families. Many of us in the group have found parenthood to be the bridge back to a religion and culture that we lost touch with after leaving our parents’ homes so many years ago. For my husband and I, this group plays an important part in nurturing our Jewish home. My family’s experience with our Chai Baby playgroup inspired me to become a Chai Baby volunteer – not just to deliver boxes, but to give other young families the same opportunity to find their place in the Jewish community. If you’re interested in joining an existing playgroup or forming a new one, contact Gail Green  at 415.512.6233 or [ gailg AT sfjcf DOT org ].  Groups are formed based on your child’s age and your geographic area. Building your own Chai Baby Jewish family playgroup:

1. 4-8 families is an ideal size To grow your group, task each family with recruiting one other family. Chai Baby can also provide you with names of other families in your area that may be interested in joining. Note that more than 8 families will become overwhelming to host in someone’s home.
2. Sunday mornings are a great time to get together Families are usually together and there is no conflict with Shabbat.
3. Rotate your get-togethers in each other’s homes, but have potluck food Everyone shares in the responsibility and by being in each other’s homes you really get to know each other.
4. Set up a Yahoo! Group or Facebook group This is a great way to easily communicate with your group.
5. Discuss which holidays your group will celebrate together Some ideas — have the children dress up for Purim and make hamentaschen; host a mini-Seder or a leftovers party right after Passover; for Hanukkah, each family brings a menorah and light them all together (on a stable counter of course!); and share in decorating a Sukkah.

How has your Jewish family connected with other Jewish families? If you are already part of a Chai Baby playgroup, we’d love to hear updates! – Debbie Chizever Taback, Chai Baby parent and volunteer