Welcome to our What's New page! What's New covers events around the San Francisco Bay Area that may be of interest to those who want to learn more about Judaism. We update this page daily.
We're in the J! An article about our website, becomingjewish.net, is appearing in an issue of the JWeekly. Hear about some of the readers who have been helped by the website and their personal stories. Click on the last menu item on the left, Media Coverage, or in the blue portion of this paragraph to see it.
Take a look at our newest page, Converting Outside the USA (on the menu bar to the left). We get numerous emails from outside the U.S., asking how they can convert. Some of these emails turn into ongoing conversations, while some end rather dishearteningly (due to the nature of the country in which they wish to convert). All are fascinating stories.
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Take a look at our newest page, Converting Outside the USA (on the menu bar to the left). We get numerous emails from outside the U.S., asking how they can convert. Some of these emails turn into ongoing conversations, while some end rather dishearteningly (due to the nature of the country in which they wish to convert). All are fascinating stories.
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Tikkun Leyl Shavuot with LGBT Friends
Keshet is partipating the the Jewish Community Center of the East Bay’s annual Tikkun Leyl Shavuot program! Join Keshet's own Maya Brodkey at 4am for “Busting Down the Binary: A Jewish Exploration of Gender and Gender Performance.” Have you ever wondered what gender is, and how we experience it? How are Jewish experiences of gender different than non-Jewish ones? And what do all those letters in LGBTQIA stand for, anyway? Come learn the answers to those questions and more!
There will be a wide range of fantastic workshops throughout the night, and you can expect to have a great time at this unique community-wide celebration. This night of learning is a spiritual journey bringing together people of varied perspectives and affiliations. Stay for an hour—or stay until dawn!
Date/Time/Cost: May 14, 2013 - May 15, 2013 | 6:15 pm - 8:00 am | Price: Free
Location: JCC East Bay, 1414 Walnut Street, Berkeley
RSVP online here.
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Keshet is partipating the the Jewish Community Center of the East Bay’s annual Tikkun Leyl Shavuot program! Join Keshet's own Maya Brodkey at 4am for “Busting Down the Binary: A Jewish Exploration of Gender and Gender Performance.” Have you ever wondered what gender is, and how we experience it? How are Jewish experiences of gender different than non-Jewish ones? And what do all those letters in LGBTQIA stand for, anyway? Come learn the answers to those questions and more!
There will be a wide range of fantastic workshops throughout the night, and you can expect to have a great time at this unique community-wide celebration. This night of learning is a spiritual journey bringing together people of varied perspectives and affiliations. Stay for an hour—or stay until dawn!
Date/Time/Cost: May 14, 2013 - May 15, 2013 | 6:15 pm - 8:00 am | Price: Free
Location: JCC East Bay, 1414 Walnut Street, Berkeley
RSVP online here.
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We have added to What Are We Reading page: what books do local rabbis suggest for beginners?
We also have new blog entries about readers' Beit Din experiences!
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Tikkun Leyl Shavuot
A unique community-wide celebration and night of learning, a spiritual journey bringing together people of all varied perspectives and affiliations. Stay for an hour—or stay until dawn! We will be led in study by teachers from our diverse Bay Area Jewish community.
Childcare: We are offering childcare and a sleeping room (for ages 2 and up) until the end of the Tikkun. Parents must provide bedding, stay on-site, and pre-register online.
Family Programming: We would love you to join us for family programming from 6:15-7:45pm, featuring sessions for ages 2-12.
Volunteer Request: We are looking for volunteers for this year’s Tikkun Leyl Shavout! Whether you have volunteered in the past or are new to the Tikkun, there are so many opportunities, from food prep to greeting to clean up, at all times throughout the night. Please contact Lauren Greis at tikkun@jcceastbay.org. Join us in Celebrating Shavuot!
Date: Tuesday, May 14 – 15
Time: 6:15 pm - 8:00 am
Place: JCC East Bay, 1414 Walnut Street, Berkeley
Free
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Israel in the Gardens
The annual Jewish gathering in San Francisco will be June 2nd. Join thousands for a day in the sun with bands, booths, food and activities.
Date: Sunday, June 2
Time: 11am to 5pm
Place: Yerba Buena Gardens, 750 Howard St., San Francisco
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Arts & Science Summer Camp
Ner Tamid offers a summer camp program open to all. Field Trips, Cooking & Science, Collage Art, Clay, Math, Sports.
Camp runs 8am to 6pm.
First day is June 10
Place: Ner Tamid, 1250 Quintara St., San Francisco
Cost is $375/week
Get info at www.AlephBetSchool.com
Or call 415-992-2235.
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Take a Look at San Francisco Bay Area JCCs
What's a JCC? The acronym stands for Jewish Community College, and they're scattered around the Bay Area. JCCs are non-synagogue places for Jewish activities. They have a constant stream of classes and activities for adults and kids, including during the summer. Many even have fitness facilities. Take a look at what they have to offer.
The JCC East Bay - Berkeley branch is at 1414 Walnut St., Oakland Branch is at 5811 Racine Street.
The Oshman JCC - 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto
JCC San Francisco - 3200 California Street, SF
Peninsula Jewish Community Center (PJCC) - 800 Foster City Blvd., Foster City
Osher Marin Jewish Community Center, San Rafael - 200 N. San Pedro Rd., San Rafael
Addison-Penzak Jewish Community Center, Silicon Valley - 14855 Oka Rd., Los Gatos
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East Bay Community Trip to Israel
Join East Bay rabbis in a community trip to Israel from April 10-19, 2013. Rabbi Steven Chester is heading up the project. The exciting thing is that you travel with friends from your community, AND you get to personalize your trip and make your own customized itinerary. Subsidies of up to $750 a person are available to those 25-45 years of age.
For more info, go to the JFed link.
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The 3rd Jewish Heritage Night for the Oakland A's: July 30th!
Last year's event sold out! Usually you get a Plaza seat (2nd deck) ticket, a meal (like a sandwich), and a baseball-style Jewish piece of memorabilia (like a kippa or scarf). But you MUST buy the special ticket, available at synagogues, or through a special link on the Oakland A's website. Look here for more info.
We also have new blog entries about readers' Beit Din experiences!
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Tikkun Leyl Shavuot
A unique community-wide celebration and night of learning, a spiritual journey bringing together people of all varied perspectives and affiliations. Stay for an hour—or stay until dawn! We will be led in study by teachers from our diverse Bay Area Jewish community.
Childcare: We are offering childcare and a sleeping room (for ages 2 and up) until the end of the Tikkun. Parents must provide bedding, stay on-site, and pre-register online.
Family Programming: We would love you to join us for family programming from 6:15-7:45pm, featuring sessions for ages 2-12.
Volunteer Request: We are looking for volunteers for this year’s Tikkun Leyl Shavout! Whether you have volunteered in the past or are new to the Tikkun, there are so many opportunities, from food prep to greeting to clean up, at all times throughout the night. Please contact Lauren Greis at tikkun@jcceastbay.org. Join us in Celebrating Shavuot!
Date: Tuesday, May 14 – 15
Time: 6:15 pm - 8:00 am
Place: JCC East Bay, 1414 Walnut Street, Berkeley
Free
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Israel in the Gardens
The annual Jewish gathering in San Francisco will be June 2nd. Join thousands for a day in the sun with bands, booths, food and activities.
Date: Sunday, June 2
Time: 11am to 5pm
Place: Yerba Buena Gardens, 750 Howard St., San Francisco
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Arts & Science Summer Camp
Ner Tamid offers a summer camp program open to all. Field Trips, Cooking & Science, Collage Art, Clay, Math, Sports.
Camp runs 8am to 6pm.
First day is June 10
Place: Ner Tamid, 1250 Quintara St., San Francisco
Cost is $375/week
Get info at www.AlephBetSchool.com
Or call 415-992-2235.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Take a Look at San Francisco Bay Area JCCs
What's a JCC? The acronym stands for Jewish Community College, and they're scattered around the Bay Area. JCCs are non-synagogue places for Jewish activities. They have a constant stream of classes and activities for adults and kids, including during the summer. Many even have fitness facilities. Take a look at what they have to offer.
The JCC East Bay - Berkeley branch is at 1414 Walnut St., Oakland Branch is at 5811 Racine Street.
The Oshman JCC - 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto
JCC San Francisco - 3200 California Street, SF
Peninsula Jewish Community Center (PJCC) - 800 Foster City Blvd., Foster City
Osher Marin Jewish Community Center, San Rafael - 200 N. San Pedro Rd., San Rafael
Addison-Penzak Jewish Community Center, Silicon Valley - 14855 Oka Rd., Los Gatos
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East Bay Community Trip to Israel
Join East Bay rabbis in a community trip to Israel from April 10-19, 2013. Rabbi Steven Chester is heading up the project. The exciting thing is that you travel with friends from your community, AND you get to personalize your trip and make your own customized itinerary. Subsidies of up to $750 a person are available to those 25-45 years of age.
For more info, go to the JFed link.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The 3rd Jewish Heritage Night for the Oakland A's: July 30th!
Last year's event sold out! Usually you get a Plaza seat (2nd deck) ticket, a meal (like a sandwich), and a baseball-style Jewish piece of memorabilia (like a kippa or scarf). But you MUST buy the special ticket, available at synagogues, or through a special link on the Oakland A's website. Look here for more info.
Be Sure to Check Out Our Facebook Page.
We have ongoing discussions almost daily on the Facebook page of Becoming Jewish. Check out the link here. Be sure to "like" us when you go there!