Welcome to our What's New page! Here we list events around the San Francisco Bay Area that are of interest to those who want to learn more about Judaism.
Some Current Activities Around the Bay
We are planning a field trip to the Judaica store, Afikomen. Why, you may ask? Well, there are so many Jewish home objects - ritual, ornamental, culinary, musical, etc. that you may not know about. Come check out items that you may not know existed. Things that you might choose to give as a gift. Items that will surprise or delight you.
Two people who sign up will receive a $10 gift certificate when you arrive. This might encourage you to GO FOR IT on something you wondered about. Do you have a challah cover? Enough menorahs (Hanukkiyot) for every member of your household? Would you like a card for a bar or bat mitzvah? Or a conversion? Or for the loss of a loved one? Books for adults or children? Art? A tallit (prayer shawl)?
Exploring Judaica for Your Home: A Field Trip to Afikomen
Judaica – plural noun: any object, artifact, or text related to Judaism, encompassing religious books, ceremonial items, artworks, and historical materials and covers a wide range of items from ancient manuscripts and Torah scrolls to modern pieces of jewelry and decorative art.
Join me for a tour of our local Jewish store, Afikomen Judaica, in Berkeley. We’ll see items for weddings, Shabbat, holidays, study, play, and life cycle events. The owner, Nell, will give a tour and then answer any questions you have. Supervised children are welcome.
Two lucky participants will receive $10 gift certificates for the store!
We will have time to browse!
Date: November 9
Time: 2 to 3:30pm
Place: Afikomen Judaica, 3042 Claremont Ave, Berkeley
Free
RSVP by emailing [email protected]
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Building Bridges between Jews and Palestinians
with Dr. Yasmeen Abu Fraiha
Join our clergy in conversation with New Israel Fund board member and Harvard Kennedy School Fellow Dr. Abu Fraiha. As a Palestinian Bedouin doctor in Israel, she was a first responder who treated incoming victims of Hamas' brutal attacks on October 7 and lost many colleagues, friends, and neighbors in Gaza. Hear her remarkable story and learn about her commitment to kindness and activism.
Please register below to attend this in-person event.
Date: Wednesday, November 5
Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Place: Rodef Sholom, 170 North San Pedro Road, San Rafael
Register here
Recipes from the American South with Michael W. Twitty & Bryant Terry
Join acclaimed culinary historian and James Beard Award-winning author Michael W. Twitty and artist, chef, and publisher bryant terry for a powerful conversation about Twitty’s new book, Recipes from the American South. In this deeply personal and illuminating work, Twitty traces the roots and evolution of Southern cuisine – celebrating its joys, confronting its contradictions, and honoring its deep ties to Black history and identity.
Blending memoir, history, and irresistible recipes, Twitty invites us to see Southern food not just as comfort, but as a living archive of resilience and resistance. Join us for a wide-ranging conversation on foodways, faith, culture, and how what we eat shapes who we are.
Date: Wednesday, Nov. 5
Time: 7 to 8:30pm
Place: SF Jewish Community Center, 3200 California Street, San Francisco
Cost: $25, register here
For people in their 20s and 30's
November Jewish Young Adult Happy Hour
Join ENGAJ and JYA for our monthly Jewish young adult happy hour! Geared toward Jewish 20s and 30s, we're all about welcoming new friends, catching up with familiar faces, and strengthening our Jewish community! Interfaith couples are welcome. We'll provide pitchers of beer, cider, and soda, plus bar snacks!
Date: Thursday, Nov 6
Time: 7:00 to 9:00pm
Place: Fuego Sports Bar and Club, 140 South Murphy Avenue, Sunnyvale
Cost: $5, register in advance on MeetUp here
Gallery Tour and Meet the Artist: Chama Mechtaly
Meet Chama Mechtaly, our esteemed artist and educator, over Moroccan tea, and explore exquisite jewelry from her startup, Moors & Saints, inspired by Moorish design and sacred architecture.
Step into the vibrant world of Moroccan-born artist, educator, and cultural strategist Chama Mechtaly. Join her for a guided tour of PJCC’s fall gallery exhibition, where she’ll share insights into her multimedia work that bridges heritage, identity, and resilience. Following the tour, stay to meet Chama in person.
Date: Thursday, November 6
Time: 1:30 pm – 2:15 pm
Place: Peninsula Jewish Community Center, 800 Foster City Blvd, Foster City
Free, no registration required
Details here
On Bob Dylan with Scholar-in-Residence Dr. Stephen Daniel Arnoff
A night of spirit, story, and song featuring Dr. Stephen Daniel Arnoff, CEO of the Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center and author of About Man and God and Law: The Spiritual Wisdom of Bob Dylan.
With musical support from members of the Friday Night Musical Kabbalat Shabbat Band, Stephen brings Bob Dylan’s spiritual depth into conversation with Jewish tradition, culture, and text—through live performance, reflection, and a touch of rock ‘n’ roll soul.
The evening celebrates two meaningful milestones:
Six women marking their adult B’not Mitzvah earlier that day
The vital work of the Fuchsberg Center, the Conservative Movement’s home for immersive learning in Jerusalem
The night kicks off with dessert, wine, and maybe even a nod to Dylan’s own whiskey brand.
Date: Saturday, November 8
Time: 6:00 - 9:00pm
Place: Kol Shofar, 215 Blackfield Drive, Tiburon
Cost: $10/person, $18/couple
Register here
Community Shabbat Dinner You’re Invited!
Join us for the Community Shabbat Dinner. All you need to do is reserve your spot, show up, and relax with friends—both old and new.
Doors open at 6:00 pm for schmoozing (feel free to bring wine to share!)
Kiddush, motzi and dinner begin at 6:30 pm
We’ll wrap up in time for Shabbat services at 7:30 pm in the sanctuary.
Lisa Kama and an enthusiastic group of in-house volunteers will prepare the August meal. The menu consists of baked chicken; couscous with veggies; a vegan tofu, eggplant, and tomato dish; rice and challah.
Date: Friday, November 14
Time: 6pm
Place: Beth Emek, 3400 Nevada Ct., Pleasanton
Cost: Dinner pricing is $20 for adults & teens (13+), $10 for youth (8-12), and free for children (7 and under).
Need more info? You can email Trish at [email protected]
Sign up here
Can’t make it this Friday? You can save these dates –
Mark your calendar for the Community Shabbat Dinner dates for the coming year. Registration and menus will be available a few weeks in advance of each dinner.
December 19, 2025
January 9, 2026
February 20, 2026
March 20, 2026
April 17, 2026
May 15, 2026
June 19, 2026
The Golden State Valkyries Jewish Community Celebration
Let’s celebrate the amazing inaugural season of our favorite team. Join us for t-shirt and swag giveaways, Boichik Bagel bites, good times and more.
Free Event • All Ages Welcome
Wear your Valkyries fan merchandise!
Date” Sunday November 16
Time: 12:00pm-2:00pm
Place: Afikomen, 3042 Claremont Ave, Berkeley
More info here
Community Presenters: Afikomen Judaica and Value Culture
Community Partner: Boichik Bagels
YOUNG ADULTS EVENT (You must be in your 20s or 30s to attend)
I am trying to find and share events aimed at young adults. It can be daunting to be a young couple dropped into a gathering of couples with teenagers and older. If you’re in graduate school or a new job, your schedule and lifestyle are distinctively different from families raising kids. Finding the latter circle is easy. Finding the young adult crowd is not.
Friendship Shabbat: The Orchard
As Thanksgiving approaches, gather with friends old and new to celebrate Shabbat with a festive Friendsgiving twist! Join other adults in their 20s and 30s for a warm evening of gratitude, good food, and community. The table will be full — all that’s missing is you. Bring your appetite and spirit of thanks as we welcome Shabbatsgiving together.
Date: Friday, November 21
Time: 7:30pm
Place: Beth Am, 26790 Arastradero Road, Los Altos Hills
Register here
Please note, Beth Am’s Young Adult program is called The Orchard and is run by Rabbi Nambi. If you are interested in speaking to her, she is very kind and accessible.
Life's Biggest Questions, What Does Judaism Say?
What does Judaism say... about life after death, faith and doubt, and good and evil? Join us for a deep dive as Rabbi Stacy takes us through the profound and essential question that have guided human thought for centuries.
Each session will be a deep dive into one of these essential topics, giving us a space to explore and reflect. Sign up for one or join us for the whole series.
What Happens After I Die?
Can Faith and Doubt Co-Exist?
Why is There Evil in the World?
Dates: Thursdays, Dec. 4, 11, 18
Time: 7 to 8pm
Place: Rodef Sholom, 170 North San Pedro Road, San Rafael
Sign up here
Hanukkah Party with Isaac Zones!
Get ready for Hanukkah with themed activities and music with Isaac Zones at The Reading Bug! Co-sponsored by PJCC and PJ Library. This event is geared toward families with children 3-5 years old.
Date: Sunday, December 14
Time: 10:30-11:30 am
Place: The Reading Bug, 785 Laurel St, San Carlos
Free admission; advanced registration required.
Hosted by Wornick Jewish Day School, Peninsula Jewish Community Center and PJ Library.
Spring 2026 Basic Judaism Classes
Exploring Judaism
This seven-month course is a great opportunity for those who want to begin learning about Judaism, as well as those who are seeking to deepen their learning. This is also the course for anyone considering choosing Judaism as their spiritual path and home. It covers biblical and rabbinic texts, history and culture, holy days, festivals, Shabbat, Jewish concepts of God and ethics, life cycle, dietary laws and Israel. Drawn from the Miller Introduction to Judaism curriculum from American Jewish University, it is taught by our clergy.
Students who wish to take a single class by topic may do so. The first 30-minutes of the course is dedicated to learning to read Hebrew, while topical learning begins at 10:00am.
Dates: Begins Sunday, Nov. 2 to March, 29, 2026
Time: 9:30am to noon
Place: Kol Shofar, 215 Blackfield Drive, Tiburon
Tuition: Free for members. $275 18-week series or drop-in $20 per class for the community.
Register here
(re)Intro to Judaism
Discover the History, Traditions and Hidden Gems of Our 4,000-Year Journey
Taught by Rabbi Arthur Nemitoff, through this course participants will learn about Jewish history, traditions, holidays, life cycle ceremonies, liturgy, music, blessings and much more. We’ll explore all the significant building blocks of Jewish life and practice through the Reform perspective. It’s a great way to learn (or re-learn) more about Judaism.
Designed for those who want a “refresher” on their faith and traditions, those who are exploring Judaism, those in interfaith relationships, and those thinking of becoming Jewish. Whether one was born Jewish, became Jewish, is in a Jewish family, or is a neighbor or friend who wants to know more about Jewish traditions, we welcome all participants.
Dates: Select Tuesdays, January 27-April 21, 2026
Time: 7 to 8:30pm
Place: Zoom
Cost: $36, register here
Hosted by Beth Am, 26790 Arastradero Road, Los Altos Hills
Exploring Judaism
This seven-month course is a great opportunity for those who want to begin learning about Judaism, as well as those who are seeking to deepen their learning. This is also the course for anyone considering choosing Judaism as their spiritual path and home. It covers biblical and rabbinic texts, history and culture, holy days, festivals, Shabbat, Jewish concepts of God and ethics, life cycle, dietary laws and Israel. Drawn from the Miller Introduction to Judaism curriculum from American Jewish University, it is taught by our clergy.
Students who wish to take a single class by topic may do so. The first 30-minutes of the course is dedicated to learning to read Hebrew, while topical learning begins at 10:00am.
Dates: Begins Sunday, Nov. 2 to March, 29, 2026
Time: 9:30am to noon
Place: Kol Shofar, 215 Blackfield Drive, Tiburon
Tuition: Free for members. $275 18-week series or drop-in $20 per class for the community.
Register here
(re)Intro to Judaism
Discover the History, Traditions and Hidden Gems of Our 4,000-Year Journey
Taught by Rabbi Arthur Nemitoff, through this course participants will learn about Jewish history, traditions, holidays, life cycle ceremonies, liturgy, music, blessings and much more. We’ll explore all the significant building blocks of Jewish life and practice through the Reform perspective. It’s a great way to learn (or re-learn) more about Judaism.
Designed for those who want a “refresher” on their faith and traditions, those who are exploring Judaism, those in interfaith relationships, and those thinking of becoming Jewish. Whether one was born Jewish, became Jewish, is in a Jewish family, or is a neighbor or friend who wants to know more about Jewish traditions, we welcome all participants.
Dates: Select Tuesdays, January 27-April 21, 2026
Time: 7 to 8:30pm
Place: Zoom
Cost: $36, register here
Hosted by Beth Am, 26790 Arastradero Road, Los Altos Hills
Online Learning Options
There are a LOT of online Jewish educational opportunities. Naturally, not all of them are good. Here are some that I trust.
New Lehrhaus
One of you mentioned that Lehrhaus is one of your favorite places to learn. I agree! This program, Becoming Jewish, originated at Lehrhaus Judaica as the result of a grant! Lehrhaus was founded by Fred Rosenbaum in 1974. It has morphed into New Lehrhaus and continues to offer stellar adult learning opportunities.
Valley Beit Midrash
Is an educational organization currently run by Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz. Classes typically cost $18.
Hadar
In person and online classes around the USA. This is the site where I find classes by Rabbi David Kasher. Rabbi Kasher was a the UC Berkeley Hillel rabbi for several years and worked upstairs from me when I was at Lehrhaus Judaica.
My Jewish Learning
This site has a wealth of information AND a newsletter with articles and workshops. Browse around it. I like that they have writers from different streams of Judaism so you get a broader view of Jewish thought and practice.
The Hub from My Jewish Learning
An email listing online classes. The downside is that they are always very short notice. So you have to check it on a day you know you'll be free. Still, there are some fun topics.
Aish
This site is Orthodox and offers a traditional view on Judaism. What I like is that it is a good foundational viewpoint on the Parsha and Jewish practice.
Jewfaq
This looks like a bare bones site - no pictures or fancy graphics. But it is phenomenal. A vast amount of information carefully spelled out. AND! Each page is ranked as: Gentile, Basic, Intermediate or Advanced. If you're finding a concept difficult then perhaps it is an Advanced page and you need to speak with your rabbi about it.
Send us YOUR suggestions for this list to [email protected]
New Lehrhaus
One of you mentioned that Lehrhaus is one of your favorite places to learn. I agree! This program, Becoming Jewish, originated at Lehrhaus Judaica as the result of a grant! Lehrhaus was founded by Fred Rosenbaum in 1974. It has morphed into New Lehrhaus and continues to offer stellar adult learning opportunities.
Valley Beit Midrash
Is an educational organization currently run by Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz. Classes typically cost $18.
Hadar
In person and online classes around the USA. This is the site where I find classes by Rabbi David Kasher. Rabbi Kasher was a the UC Berkeley Hillel rabbi for several years and worked upstairs from me when I was at Lehrhaus Judaica.
My Jewish Learning
This site has a wealth of information AND a newsletter with articles and workshops. Browse around it. I like that they have writers from different streams of Judaism so you get a broader view of Jewish thought and practice.
The Hub from My Jewish Learning
An email listing online classes. The downside is that they are always very short notice. So you have to check it on a day you know you'll be free. Still, there are some fun topics.
Aish
This site is Orthodox and offers a traditional view on Judaism. What I like is that it is a good foundational viewpoint on the Parsha and Jewish practice.
Jewfaq
This looks like a bare bones site - no pictures or fancy graphics. But it is phenomenal. A vast amount of information carefully spelled out. AND! Each page is ranked as: Gentile, Basic, Intermediate or Advanced. If you're finding a concept difficult then perhaps it is an Advanced page and you need to speak with your rabbi about it.
Send us YOUR suggestions for this list to [email protected]
Got a baby?
Get support from the Bay Area's Jewish Baby Network
Connect Today!
The JBN Newsletter says, "We would love for you and your family to become part of the Jewish Baby Network community. Please let us know a little bit about you so we can help you connect to other families and resources near you.
Our programs are designed for families with children aged 0 – 36 months. We welcome everyone, including non-affiliated, interfaith, multi-ethnic, single parent, and LGBTQ families.
Find your region here"
This is a lovely group; I encourage you to get in touch.