14 | OCTOBER 12 • 2023 J
N

OUR COMMUNITY

from Atlanta about a year 
and a half ago and were 
eager to connect with 
other families. Originally 
from Farmington Hills, 
she says it’s a great 
opportunity for her family 
to deepen their area roots 
together. 
“I love hosting, so to me, 
that’s very exciting,” she 
says. 
With her son attending 
Jewish preschool and she 
and her husband both 
growing up in traditionally 
Jewish homes, the 
program offers another 
welcome building block as 
they establish their shared 
traditions for their family. 
“Ross grew up belonging 
to an Orthodox synagogue. 
I belonged to Reform, so 
the idea of bringing a new 
tradition into our house, 
something we create and 
share with our children, 

was important to us,” she 
explains.
Sharing Shabbat is 
open to families with 
children ages 0-13 but 
skews heavily toward 
the 8 and under set, says 
Shoshana Fain, 
director of 
Programming 
and Engage-
ment for 
JFamily, with 
many kids 
under 5 years 
old. 
It’s a group of families 
that is in the life stage 
where they’re looking to 
make new connections 
through their children. 
They’re also families who 
haven’t yet necessarily 
had their schedules filled 
up with sports, birthday 
parties and the like. 
The oldest child in the 
program at present will be 

TOP: Making 
challah at the Aish 
Challah bake:
Eric and Mary 
Greenberg.
RIGHT: Abi and Eric 
Berlin, and their 
children Talia and 
Jack.

continued from page 13

Shoshana 
Fain

continued on page 16

