Nita is for anyone who wants to do Jewish stuff.

HOW DID THIS GET STARTED?

NITA (that’s hebrew for we will grow or plant) is a group of people who get together to grow a more meaningful jewish life in marin. We’re an innovative project of rodef sholom and we like to think of ourselves as an indie project.

By the way, anyone can come anytime.

We’re creating a community for people who want to do something jewish in an unintimidating way. We get together to ask, practice, and really, just try stuff out. Nita takes shabbat to kitchens (we’re big on shabbat), learning to cafes, and havdallah to back yards. We take our holidays outside to keep them fresh; we take responsibility for the world in jewish terms; and we experience being jewish as we are. (Who wants to pretend we’re something we’re not?) We get together with other people to help figure out what we all need jewishly, how to get it, and how to give it.

WHO’S PAYING FOR THIS?

Great question. In spring 2009, rodef sholom received a one-year grant from Synagogue 3000 in order to pursue innovative jewish ideas through the creation of Nita. (BTW, rodef sholom was ony one of five places that got support for it’s work. Such an honor.) Anyway, this is how Nita got started. And, not to brag, but we were just renewed for a second year.

As well, we were deeply fortunate to receive the support of the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund for this upcoming jewish year.

We are also funded, more and more every day, by people like you who like what we’re doing and want to see us stick around.

Nita is not a big budget operation, but the musicians, rabbis, staff, and rental spaces all cost something. We encourage you to contribute to help build this very cool movement.

IS THERE A RABBI?

Glad you asked. Noa Kushner is the founding rabbi of nita, a project of rodef sholom. She graduated from Brown University and was ordained from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. She was the rabbi for Hillels at both Sarah Lawrence College and Stanford University. Her essays have been published in several books including, The Torah: A Women’s Commentary. She is married to Michael Lezak and they have three daughters, Zella, Bluma, and Minna.

IS THIS FOR ME?

Could very well be. Nita is for modern jews, their families, friends, and honestly, anyone who wants to try jewish stuff.

Want to grow a more meaningful jewish life in marin? Us too.