By mitigating stress in an atmosphere of shared interests and meaningful connection, Jewish women’s differences transform from barriers of contention to diverse sources of social support. Most Jewish women love to connect and given the appropriate environments will gladly do so. 100 Fun Things designs events and parties with careful attunement to the needs and social signifiers of both secular and religious communities, providing safe spaces for Jewish women to come together, have fun, and make friends outside their usual circles. Events include dance parties, standup comedy showcases featuring a lineup of female comedians from secular to Haredi, open mic nights, poetry slams, and creative workshops.
Longer-term courses deepen these friendships as well as support Jewish women to cultivate lives of creativity and connection in direct opposition to burnout. Based on works by Julia Cameron (“The Artist's Way”), Natalie Goldberg (“Writing Down the Bones”), Anne Lamott (“Bird by Bird”) and others, groups of six to eight Jewish women from all backgrounds and affiliations come together during months-long courses to cultivate the foundations for stable, ongoing creative pursuits in whatever field they wish, producing filmmakers, artists, founders, musicians, authors, scholars, comedians and other creatives rooted in a peace-building mindset whose work contributes significantly to shared society.
100 Fun Things has been delighted to discover that one result of its events, trips, and courses has been the creation of several active micro-communities across a range of interests. Alumnae of longer-term courses share an informal alumnae board that plans and holds events for their own growing community of diverse creative Jewish women on a regular basis. Comedians who featured in 100 Fun Things’ standup showcases now regularly appear in comedy events produced by themselves and others. Groups from various neighborhoods come together to attend 100 Fun Things dance parties whenever one is held. The development and growth of grassroots micro-communities attests to the compounding effects of investment in Jewish women as the foundations of Israel's shared society.
