As a teen growing up in Santa Rosa, Eli Weinzveg felt strongly connected to the Jewish community. Many of his friends at school were Jewish, and in the summers they attended Camp Tawonga.
But after leaving and then returning to Sonoma County as a young adult, it was a different story. “A lot of my friends have moved on from this area,” says Weinzveg, 28, now a high school teacher, husband and father of two young children. “People in their 20s are not really well-represented in the Jewish community here.”
The desire to change that made him a natural choice when the JCC of Sonoma County and Santa Rosa’s Congregation Shomrei Torah joined forces to start a group for young adults. Sonoma County Tribe, which got off the ground this past September, is an informal group of Jews in their 20s and early 30s that hosts events twice a month. There’s always a Shabbat dinner, and the other gathering might celebrate a Jewish holiday or involve community service. The free program is funded by an Impacts Grants Initiative from the S.F.-based Jewish Community Federation.
Shabbat dinners take place at a member’s home and feature vegetarian food catered by a different local restaurant each time. “People look forward to them. There’s a waiting list of people who want to host,” says Weinzveg, who shares planning duties with Shomrei Torah’s Rabbi Stephanie Kramer. As an incentive to host a dinner, the group brings a Shabbat candelabra and a Kiddish cup, and if the host doesn’t have those items, they’re his or hers to keep.
Events have included bowling, beer-tastings at a local brewery, a Purim celebration, and “latkes and vodka” night for Chanukah. “We made martinis and hung out and shmoozed,” says Weinzveg. “People are just happy to get to know each other.”
Though it’s not a singles group, some members have even begun dating as a result of Tribe events, he adds.
Kramer says that some Tribe members belong to Shomrei Torah or another nearby congregation — Reform and Conservative synagogues are represented — but the majority of members are unaffiliated.
“For a lot of people, maybe their parents are members somewhere, but they’re not — so this is really about Jewish identity-building for the broader community,” she says, emphasizing that she does not “pitch” congregation membership to those who come to Tribe events.
Weinzveg says an average of 25 people have been showing up to each event so far, and he has high hopes the number will grow.
“The main thing I’m hearing is definitely ‘Thank you, we’ve been wanting something like this,’ ” he says. “Especially for people who are new to the area, or people who grew up and came back, there wasn’t anything like this, so I think it’s grown pretty organically.”
Weinzveg adds: “It’s been great to see how many people are really yearning to connect. ”
— emma silvers
Sonoma County Tribe will hold its next Shabbat dinner 6:30 p.m. March 15. On March 30, Tribe will participate in a community service day at the Children’s Village of Sonoma County, a group foster home. For more information on how to get involved, contact Eli Weinzveg at [email protected] or call (707) 529-6023.