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Choosing Judaism: 36 Stories

02/24/2021 12:46:46 PM

Feb24

This Sunday, our adult ed time will be devoted to hearing from Bradley Caro Cook and Cameron Vanore about the book Choosing Judaism: 36 Stories. We also hope to incorporate opportunity for Ner Shalom members who are Jews by Choice to share their stories about journeying into and through Judaism.

A bit about our presenters:

Bradley Caro Cook, Ed.D. was born in Atlanta Georgia, where he lived until moving to Israel in 2012. In 2015 Bradley moved back to the US. Bradley is where he is today due to his life-long perseverance as an underdog. Being an individual with disabilities, he was not expected to graduate from high school or college. Now with his doctorate in education, he serves as a bridge builder and Jewish innovator. He dedicates his life to repairing social and religious injustices in the world, building inclusive communities, serving those with disabilities, empowering and advancing those who are disconnected, underserved, or unjustly relegated to the fringes of normative society, and engaging individuals with the beauty of Jewish wisdom and community.

In addition to his innovative work as director and co-founder of Career Up Now and his educational mentorship, he is the editor of the book Choosing Judaism: 36 Stories, a collection of inspiring personal essays on what it means to choose to be and be chosen as a member of the Jewish people.

Cameron Vanore is one such essayist and chosen member of the tribe. She a teacher here in Northern Virginia, and her home congregation is Kol Ami, a Reconstructionist community. She also attends a Jewish meditation group through Temple Rodef Shalom, a Reform congregation. Disability awareness and inclusion is an important cause to her, and she volunteers for the Children’s Tumor Foundation, which is dedicated to finding a cure for NF (neurofibromatosis). She loves reading, creative writing, rock collecting, taking walks in the woods, and spending time with her husband and their spoiled rotten cat, Vinny.

 

We are so excited to hear from these two wonderful guest speakers about the book, choosing Judaism, and being members of the Jewish community!

Sat, July 5 2025 9 Tammuz 5785