Our Values
We seek to build a village-minded community which celebrates life’s joys and supports through life’s challenges. Our commitment to intergenerational connections is central to growing together, deepening our identities, and building toward our shared vision for 21st century Judaism.
As Keshira says, “the mark of a successful Kesher gathering is one where a thirsty child feels comfortable asking any adult for a glass of water.” By spending time together, we build trust, open space for deeper conversation, and deepen our bonds of care.
Things that matter to us:
Liberatory environment
Kesher strives to center the experiences of those who have been most marginalized in order to build solidarity and move toward a more liberated world.
Feminist / Gender inclusive
We celebrate expansive gender both in our community members and in our understanding of the Divine.We welcome a range of expressions of Jewish spirituality and level of practice, providing companionship and cultural sensitivity to each individual’s Jewish journey.
Earth-based, Embodied Practice
We honor the book, the body and the earth as equal sources of wisdom, inviting each participant to practice Judaism in ways that include intellectual, embodied and connected to the elements as well.
Come As You Are
We welcome a range of expressions of Jewish spirituality and level of practice, providing companionship and cultural sensitivity to each individual’s Jewish journey.
Leave Slightly Different
Whether through silence or song, we seek to shift our internal landscape and be transformed by the experience of prayer. We know that a Friday night gathering was successful if our Saturday is different as a result.
Judaism and Social Activism
We believe that by engaging deeply with both Jewish practice and social justice, they become mutually reinforcing and ultimately indistinguishable.
Depth Over Growth
Kesher Pittsburgh is committed to fostering experiences of depth, unlearning and personal growth which lead to strengthening our connections to ourselves, to one other and to the Divine.
Prophetic Voices
We speak our consciences as a way to spark conversation and provide a moral compass which informs and guides our activism.
Centering Marginalized Experiences
Instead of simply saying “we are welcoming”, we are striving to doing the work that signals that this is so.