Barbara Bensoussan

My father’s yahrtzeit fell on Shabbos this year. My husband would be saying Kaddish for him, so I decided to go to shul to hear it. As I was putting on my jacket in front of the glass sliding door near the kitchen, I heard a thrumming noise. I saw a flash of something hovering near the glass at eye level. At first, I thought it was a big bumblebee.

Whether they’ve converted or are Jewish from birth, Jews who look different often find themselves an uncomfortable anomaly in the communities they live in. Now, dozens have come together in a closed chat that has created a virtual kehillah — and a support system that helps them realize they’re part of something so much bigger Grayson Miller was a man on an island. He grew up a Marine brat, having attended 15 schools across the United States by the time he graduated high school.

Categories: Jewish Community /  Community Currents The Sonoma Jewish community marked a huge milestone with the opening of our new location! In just two years, Chabad of Sonoma Valley has grown into a vibrant and growing Jewish community, bringing people from all different backgrounds together. Our new space will serve as the central office and home base from which we operate and coordinate our many programs, events, and community initiatives throughout Sonoma Valley.