FAQ

1. What if I’m not Jewish? (or... what if my girlfriend/boyfriend/ partner/wife/husband/child/pet chihuahua isn’t Jewish?)
2. What if I don't believe in God?
3. What if I want to raise my kids Jewish but am not sure how?
4. What if I don’t know the prayers? What if I don’t know Hebrew!?!
5. What if I eat pork?
6. What food can I bring into BHA?
7. What if I’m interested in something Jewish but BHA isn’t doing it?
8. What if I want to check out BHA to see if its right for me but I'm not ready to commit to anything?
9. What type of synagogue is BHA? Does it belong to a denomination?
10. What if I have a different question?
11. How do I get to BHA?

What if I’m not Jewish? (or... what if my girlfriend/boyfriend/ partner/wife/husband/child/pet chihuahua isn’t Jewish?)  There are some instances in which it does matter whether or not someone is Jewish, usually regarding formal roles in prayer services and formal leadership of the congregation. By and large though, there is no need to get hung up on who is “technically” Jewish and who isn’t. What really matters is if you want to do Jewish stuff. Let’s put it this way - you can be a direct descendent of Moses, but if you aren’t interested in trying anything Jewish, the ride is pretty much over. By the same token, you could be Santa Claus himself, and if you want to jump on the Jewish train and see where it takes you, then this is for you.

What if I don’t believe in God? A-ok with us. if you want talk about what you mean by “believe” and “God,” that’s cool, and if you don’t, that’s cool too. You might find it intersting to check out I (don't) believe in God by Rabbi Brent.

What if I want to raise my kids Jewish but am not sure how? Good news and bad news here. The bad news is that you can’t lead someone to a place you haven’t been yourself. You can’t raise your kids Jewish if you don’t raise yourself Jewish. The good news is that you can do both at the same time.

What if I don’t know the prayers? What if I don’t know Hebrew!?! The prayers you need are written in your heart. The prayers in the prayer book are amazing resources to help you access what is locked on the inside. If you want to use traditional prayers, give it some time and keep an eye out for an intro to the siddur (prayerbook) course, and you can pick up some skills there. Then the real work can begin.

What if I eat pork? Best to leave it at home. Unless otherwise mentioned, everything we do is strictly vegetarian.

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Speaking of, what food can I bring to BHA? Here's the quick answer:

• We accept strictly vegetarian food prepared in any kitchen, including yours.
• Any prepared dishes brought into BHA should have a little card listing all ingredients so people can make informed choices regarding their own food commitments.
• Packaged foods should have a hechsher.
• For more details, see our full food policy here.

What if I’m interested in something Jewish but BHA isn’t doing it? Give us a ring! If you have the energy to make something Jewish happen, let us know - we are eager to get new and creative programs up and running.

How do I get to BHA? We're at 331 Verplanck Avenue, Beacon, NY. Most people coming by car pull up the driveway which opens on Verplanck Avenue and drive all the way to the back. Here's a map and directions.

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many thanks to R. Noa Kushner at Nita from whom we totally ripped off with whom we creatively synergized the idea for this page. Thanks, Noa!