Submitted by Valley Temple
For the second year in a row, Valley Temple is excited to launch the Valley On The Road program, a summer series that invites members of the Cincinnati Jewish community to make Shabbat in a variety of fun and engaging places. After the success of last year’s programs, Valley Temple has compiled a three-part program to offer creative, engaging Shabbat opportunities throughout the summer.
“We found people were really excited to get out of the building and celebrate Shabbat in creative places,” Rabbi Austin Zoot said. “For a lot of people, the past few years have made it hard to connect, and this was a great way for us to get out in the community and show that we can be creative, resilient, and exciting.”
The first Valley On The Road will take place on June 9th at 6 pm at CoHatch in Mason. CoHatch is a co-working space which has a unique approach to transforming the work environment. Rabbi Zoot was excited to pick this location because it mirrors the larger initiative, plus allows the event to reach families that live on the north side of the city.
The event is open to all families looking to deepen their connection to the Jewish community and who want to see a new and exciting way of celebrating Shabbat. No congregational affiliation is required, and interfaith families are welcome.
“We set out to prove that meaningful Judaism can take place in all kinds of settings,” Rabbi Zoot explained. “We wanted to know: is it possible to have a beautiful service at a brewery? Is it ok to sing and celebrate in a park? Can we bottle up the energy that we feel in a really good coffee shop and pair it with the warmth of Jewish community? The answer was a resounding yes, and we are excited to bring what we’ve learned to these new places along the way.”
Valley on the Road will continue on July 7th at RedTree Art Gallery and Coffee Shop in Oakley (where Valley hosted the third part of last year’s series). The final event will be on August 11th at Alcove by MadTree Brewing in Over the Rhine. For more information or to ask questions, contact the Valley Temple.
