When a group of young adults from Congregation Rodeph Shalom gathered at Rabbi Eli Freedman’s home for a “sha-barbecue” one summer evening, he did not say kiddush over wine. Instead, he recited the traditional Sabbath blessing over beer.
No one was shocked. In fact, the swap made total sense, since many of those at the Friday night dinner were also members of the Philadelphia synagogue’s homebrew club. When Freedman started the club, it wasn’t just an excuse to hone his homebrewing skills with other Jewish beer geeks, although the camaraderie was welcome. It was also part of a conscious effort to get the younger people in his flock involved in the temple. As someone in his early 30s himself, he recognized that people his age were more likely to participate in religious activities if there was beer involved… CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL STORY AT ALL ABOUT BEER
