Fusion Family Funday School kicks-off the New Year to a super sweet start

Check out photos from Gummy Yummy New Year where everyone learned a little something, or a little something more  in Fusion Family’s brand new Funday School series that combines interactive lessons about upcoming Jewish holidays and other concepts with engaging activities, snacks, and surprises! At Gummy Yummy New Year everyone treated their taste buds to a delicious assortment of candy and other confections sure to get their New Years off to a really sweet start, learned about Rosh Hashanah with the ever popular Miss Meliss, made candy necklaces and other craft projects, decorated cupcakes and sampled baked goods from Busken. Plus, little ones loved the larger-than-life Candyland game where they became the game pieces and won prizes! For more information about the Funday School series, read the article below or visit www.fusionnati.or. Fusion Family is for families in which at least one parent is Jewish and the other is either converting, considering their options or is comfortable with the way things are.

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Fusion Family Funday School kicks-off the New Year to a super sweet start

“No reading, no writing, just real hands-on Jewish holiday fun for everyone!” That’s the motto of Fusion Family’s Funday School, a brand new series for interfaith families with young children who are looking for an engaging way to learn a little something, or a little something more, that they didn’t know before about Jewish holidays and traditions. First up in this interactive series is Gummy Yummy New Year, a free event where families can get their New Year off to a super-sweet start on Sunday, Sept. 9 at 3 p.m. in a private shelter at Weller Park.

Guests will get to treat their taste buds to a delicious assortment of candy, cupcakes and other confections while they participate in a special program starring Miss Meliss, known for her engaging stories and whimsical songs that bring basic Jewish concepts to life for children and parents alike! And, as a way to help young participants reflect upon their actions in the past year and think about the changes they hope to make for the New Year to come, they will have the chance to take part in an environmentally friendly Balloon Release. In addition, participants will also get to make candy necklaces and other craft projects, decorate cupcakes, sample baked goods from Busken and take a trip to the “Candy Bar!” Plus, kids are sure to love the larger-than-life Candyland game where they will become the actual game pieces and advance along the giant game board to win prizes as they wind their way to the finish line. Of course after the event, families will be able to stay and play on the adjacent playground and enjoy the rest of the afternoon at Weller Park together.

The Gummy Yummy New Year event is a program of Fusion Family which is an initiative of The Mayerson Foundation. It’s free with advance reservations and open to all families in the Jewish community with children 10 and under in which at least one parent is Jewish and the other is not, or in which one or both parents have converted to Judaism. Older siblings and grandparents are always welcome.

In addition to hosting free events throughout the year, Fusion Family offers six free New Traditions Toolkits to interfaith and conversionary families with children under the age of 10 who live in Greater Cincinnati. The program helps families incorporate Jewish traditions into their lives by providing Jewish ritual items and other resources. The Shabbat Starter Kit, for example, comes complete with candlesticks, a kiddush cup, candles, a fresh challah, matzo ball soup mix and Shabbat matches. Other New Traditions Toolkits offer items for Passover, Hanukkah, Purim and the High Holidays as well as one with a mezuzah and tzedakah box. All include an easy to understand step-by-step guidebook with an explanation of each holiday, transliterated and translated prayers, recipes, online resources and more.

Many Fusion Family participants have never observed a Jewish holiday before. However, after attending an event, or receiving a New Traditions package, they often go on to celebrate Shabbat, Hanukkah and other holidays. Some end up joining the JCC, sending their children to Jewish preschools and/or camps, and there are some who have even become members of a congregation. And while many have increased their level of their Jewish engagement, Fusion Family’s mission is simply to give them a chance to connect with one another and with Jewish life in a way that feels comfortable for them. For some, attending Fusion Family events or making a recipe provided in one of the boxes is the only Jewish thing they do, or may ever do for that matter. But that’s perfectly okay with Fusion’s organizers who know that before that, many weren’t doing anything Jewish at all!

To RSVP for Fusion Family Funday School’s Gummy Yummy New Year or to begin receiving the free New Traditions Toolkits, please consult the Community Directory in this issue for Fusion Family’s contact information.