Who We Are

The PTBE Interfaith Friendship Committee (IFC) is a committed group of temple members who work to establish partnerships with other faith houses on the Peninsula. We strive to foster deep friendship with other faith houses in San Mateo and neighboring communities, get to know their members as individuals, learn from each other’s faiths, embrace our commonality, and celebrate our uniqueness. As Jews, we can never have too many friends. We have participated in discussions, MLK Day of Service, holiday celebrations, social gatherings with the interfaith community, interfaith services and the Freedom Seder.

We are a member of the Peninsula Multifaith Coalition (a larger group comprised of multiple faith houses and community organizations).

What We Do

Our exchanges often consist of an education program or a service, followed by a meal and lively dialogues and discussion. Our partners invite us to share in their worship, and we invite them. For example: Members of St. Andrew's Lutheran Church attended a service and a meal in our sukkah to celebrate Sukkot. Our members attended their church on Reformation Sunday, a special service where we were treated to the sounds of a brass band. We broke the Ramadan fast with Muslims at the Pacifica Institute and they assisted with our Sunday Sandwich Hevre. We were warmly welcomed and honored at a service at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints church in San Bruno. The Three Cities Assembly was thrilled by our Halellu service, and we listened to their point of view at a Sunday service and lunch. We attended a truly memorable service at St. Bartholomew's, where our committee received a special blessing. Our members helped with the annual rummage sale at the First Congregational Church of Belmont Interfaith events at New Vision United Methodist Church include our members. We have sponsored and participated in several MultiFaith Freedom Seders. On several Martin Luther King Days, we joined with a larger group of almost 600 participants to sponsor, implement, and provide community service at a number of sites. We celebrated Hanukkah and Diwali together with our Hindu friends from Sanatan Mandir of San Bruno last December. We invited the officers and faith house Liaisons of the Peninsula Multifaith Coalition to join our Purim happy hour and Purim Shabbat service.

Come Join Us!

If you have ever been curious about other religions, if your love of Judaism makes you want to share it with others, then this committee is for you. Help us further our partnerships and let our neighbors know how important Israel is to us. The world is one. Help us unify the parts of the whole.

See details and pictures from past Interfaith Community Events.

Peninsula Multifaith Coalition: Upcoming Events | Prior Events

Also check out our Calendar for details on meetings.