Although we have lived most of our lives in the "Big (and very Jewish) Apple", we had almost given up our search for an enlightened, caring, secular Jewish Community. Two of our three daughters had passed bat mitzvah age with no opportunity to experience a meaningful secular education with an appropriate rite of passage. Just as we were planning a bat mitzvah trip to Israel for our youngest daughter, we discovered The City Congregation for Humanistic Judaism. The name said it all.

At last, an exciting Jewish alternative: A growing community of warm welcoming educated families who shared a passion for connecting to our identity and living our shared values. The rest is history. Our past was saved! Better still, our future was found. As individuals we were overjoyed to find a cultural home to celebrate our heritage.

As parents, we were grateful to find a school that would educate rather than indoctrinate. As professional musicians and teachers we found a second "job" we were definitely not looking for - but were more than happy to take on. We were hooked. Even before our daughter's incredibly successful, satisfying bat mitzvah experience, we knew that we would long remain connected and committed to this unique congregation and the amazing courageous movement that gave us back our culture through its voice of reason.