Rosie is melodramatic with a strong sense of justice. She wants her world to be in order, even when she’s the one creating chaos. She loves to read in her favorite tree, snuggling her beloved Ari-the-lion, helping in the garden, or directing Rafi in their games. Rosie is in first grade with her best friends, Nomi and Mira.
Rafi likes to help and really wants to understand the world. His goal in life is to be as grown-up as Rosie and he thinks she knows everything, so he usually goes along with her ideas. He carries his beloved Shmoni-the-Octopus with him everywhere, even to preschool or when he’s playing with his best friend Yoshi.
Deena (Ima, Hebrew for Mom) is creative, enthusiastic, and loves talking and listening to people. A landscape architect, she designs ecologically friendly gardens for the family business, Moreno & Wallace Landscaping Design. She grew up on Chicago’s Northside, where she learned the Jewish history, values, and practice that are the foundation of her and Philip’s Jewish home.
Philip (Daddy, English for Abba) approaches the world with awe and gratitude and analyzes every situation with patience. He is quiet except around loved ones and enjoys working with his hands. Philip and his partner, Diego Moreno, turn Ima’s garden designs into beautiful, living landscapes. He comes from a Scots-Irish background and grew up on his family’s farm in eastern Oregon.
Zachary (Uncle Zach) is curious, unconventional, and perpetually late. He is a carpenter and woodworker, who creates beautiful objects from different kinds of wood. He lives in a small home with an attached woodworking shop on the outskirts of Petaluma, CA. He expresses his Judaism through political and social action.