Moishe House Seattle, July 2009

One factor that seems to make an event work well is choosing some activity that the local Jewish twentysomething community already wants to do, like outdoor activities (this varies seasonally, of course) and eating together. When we discussed the July prompt, it seemed pretty clear to us that while it's wonderful to attract a lot of people to an event, including new people, the number of attendees alone is hardly the reason an event is successful.

Our May and June kayaking trips are good examples of fun, seasonal events that got people out into the city, kept them active, and included a strong social element. (People went out in two-seater kayaks, which allowed for one-on-one bonding, and then we all had dinner together at Agua Verde, the Mexican restaurant that rents out the kayaks.) We had one kayak participant from Orange County who made it clear that we were successful. She was visiting Seattle and wanted to hang out with young Jewish adults, and she said that she wasn't really religious. She thought that kayaking was a great way to be with the community without the “how observant are you?” element.

Some people came just for the dinner, but most of the participants kayaked, and we got a range of people, from the naturally outdoorsy (Nicole) to the stubbornly indoorsy (Neal). While there wasn't anything specifically Jewish about the activity, any event that helps our community bond in such a fun, easy way can only enhance those times, such as the two Moishe House Shabbat dinners each month, when we DO gather Jewishly.

Shabbat - Family Style

Well, it's been another exciting month at Moishe House Providence. Last month marked our most glamorous dichromatic shabbatluck to date: black and white. As you would expect, most of us wore white -- it's a shabbas color after all. Those adorned in black really formed a delightful contrast with the white garbs. Not only did everyone dress the part, but everyone participated in the color theme -- AGAIN! Our table was full of beautiful white flowers, rice pudding, and the most fluffy delicious homemade macaroons that have ever been made. Once again, I'm impressed with the Providence community.

Then this past weekend, we held a BBQ in the park across the street from Moishe House Providence. We had our doubts about attendance for two reasons: 1) the weather was grey, cold, and depressing given that it was May 4th! and 2) there was a marathon running through the city, blocking off some of the major roads. Yet, lo and behold, Providence came through, with the lead off guest none other than MHPVD alumni, Jesse Stout. We grilled, laughed, and huddled under blankets -- yes it was that cold. But it was a BBQ to remember. Thanks Moishe House for giving us continuous motivation and support to gather the sparks within our midst.