shalom baby

A New Mom -- "Thank you again for the wonderful gifts, warm wishes, and the local congregation information for the naming service for my daughter Ava. Although, I am not very religious, I do believe in tradition and I'm excited to pass on the tradition of giving my daughter a Hebrew name."

Shalom Baby is a program to welcome newborns into our Jewish community by delivering a goody-filled basket to families in the hospital. Shalom Baby baskets are filled with an assortment of baby items and gift certificates, as well as a resource guide and Shalom Baby booklet to help families connect with synagogues, pre-schools, and other resources for Jewish living.

Shalom Baby is often a family's first connection to Jewish services and programs in the community. "Reaching out to the community is a nice thing to do," says new mother Becky Rosenheim. "It made a difference because this is a time that we won't forget!"

A small committee of Women's' Division volunteers coordinate a network of 25 "deliverers" who bring welcome baskets of supplies and information to new mothers at area hospitals and at home.

For more information about the program, please contact Arielle Hendel at the Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley at (408) 357-7501.

basket recipients

"When someone came to my door, it gave me a great feeling and made me want to get more involved in the Jewish community," was second-time mom Michelle Lohn's reaction to "Shalom Baby," an outreach program for new mothers sponsored by Women's Philanthropy of the Jewish Federation of Greater San Jose.

If you have an interest in doing a mitzvah by welcoming new Jewish babies into our community, contact Women's Philanthropy at (408) 357-7501.